World's Most Desirable Luxury Brands

CHANEL accessories

photo courtesy of eFashionHouse.com

Nicola Ruiz, Forbes

Ask a friend what he would buy if he had a bigger bank account and he might rattle off a list that includes a limited-edition sports car, a round-the-world trip or a million-dollar beachfront home.

Goods by Gucci, however, top the lists of luxury brand lovers. That's according to an online survey conducted late last year by The Nielsen Company, a market research firm. It asked 25,000 consumers in 48 countries which luxury brand they would buy if money were no object. Besides Gucci, respondents chose Chanel, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior (other-otc: CHDRF - news - people ).

It's easy to see why Gucci reigns. Worldwide sales, though recently tapered, have jumped since Mark Lee became president of the company in 2004, then CEO the following year. In 2007, sales increased 11%; that's on top of a 17% increase in 2006 and a rise of 18.4% in 2005. Gucci is a part of the Gucci Group, which has a number of fashion brands in its portfolio, including Yves Saint Laurent and Sergio Rossi. PPR, a French holding company publicly traded on the Euronext exchange in Paris, owns the Gucci Group.

"Gucci manages to offer high fashion and very commercial items," says Michael Macko, fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue (nyse: SKS - news - people ). "That red and green stripe is some of the most iconic luxury branding ever created, and people want a piece of it."

Behind The Brands
Born as a leather goods company, Gucci is now most well known for its logo-ed handbags. When the company opened a new 46,000-square-foot store, the largest of its 233 worldwide, on the ground level of the Trump Tower on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue last month, they also launched a "Gucci Loves New York" handbag collection which sold out within two days of opening. Proceeds from the bags went to Playground Partners Central Park Improvement Program.

Chanel and Calvin Klein tied for second. The privately held Chanel, famous for the little black dress, tweed suit and quilted handbag, was founded by Coco Chanel in 1909 and is currently helmed by Karl Lagerfeld. It stays relevant thanks to a slew of consistently classic yet stylish products. The label's current must-haves include a quilted leather envelope clutch and a sleeveless embroidered cashmere dress with pink trim; its current pitch woman is Keira Knightley.

Calvin Klein's global retail sales surged to $4.5 billion in 2006--that's an increase of 50% since Phillips Van Heusen acquired the company in 2003. It manages such reach thanks to its three labels: Calvin Klein Collection (designer apparel and accessories), ck Calvin Klein, (bridge apparel and accessories) and Calvin Klein (better apparel and accessories). Top looks for spring include slim trousers cut on the bias for men and a high-waisted white skirt suit for women.

Shopper Stats
When looking at who actually buys designer brands today, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong come out on top. Almost one-third of survey respondents living in these areas claimed to buy the brand with the iconic interlocking-G logo. Only 7% of North American shoppers polled buy Gucci products.

While designer goods are certainly desirable in emerging markets, North America was the least interested in luxury brands, with 35% of respondents claiming they would not be tempted to buy even if money was not an issue. When quality comes into play, 34% of respondents in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America believe designer goods have the highest quality vs. non-designer; that figure falls to 20% for both Europe and North America.

What would you buy if money were no object? Weigh in. Add your thoughts in the Reader Comments section below.

"In emerging markets such as Latin America and the Asian Pacific, designer brands are probably more of a proclamation," says David Boyd, vice president of Nielsen Global Research, "a way to set themselves apart or feel that they've arrived as part of the new economy."

Regional differences also emerge over counterfeit goods peddled at market stalls globally. Over a quarter of North Americans questioned believe that fakes are just as good as the real thing, but in Asia, where most of the fakes are produced, consumers hold them in low regard, with only 8% putting them on par with the genuine article.

"People in Asia can pick out a fake bag like no one I've seen," says Boyd, "But in the U.S., people are less aware and less concerned, because in the U.S. luxury brands are considered more mainstream."

GUCCI designer handbag black tote bag monogram motif 200047 designer purse.

No. 1: Gucci
Guccio Gucci founded the House of Gucci as a saddlery shop in Florence in 1906. A century later, the company's horse bit and stirrup motif is an enduring symbol of luxury. He started out selling leather bags to horsemen in the 1920s and progressed to luxury luggage as his clients graduated from equine transportation to horseless carriages. Today, with Frida Giannini at the creative helm, handbags with the interlocking double-G logo are among the company's biggest money makers.

CHANEL designer handbag cream quilted lamb designer handbag

No. 2: Chanel (tied)
Chanel is one of today's best-known fashion brands, and has been practically since it was founded by Coco (Gabrielle) Chanel in 1909. Coco Chanel established herself as the 20th century's single most important arbiter of fashion by offering women no-nonsense, elegant, relaxed and functional clothes. Today, the tweed Chanel suit with a nipped-at-the-waist cardigan jacket remains one of the most popular--and most copied--fashion staples. In 1983, Karl Lagerfeld reinvigorated the brand with a dose of sexiness. He's been designing the collection ever since.

No. 3: Calvin Klein (tied)
In 1968, Calvin Klein and an investor started the company as Calvin Klein Limited with a small line of men and women's coats. In the '70s, Klein won two Coty Awards for his minimalist styles, and by the middle of the decade he had created a designer-jeans craze by putting his name on each pair's back pocket. Advertisements featured a 15-year-old Brooke Shields who famously said, "Nothing comes between me and my Calvins." In 2003 Phillips Van Heusen acquired the brand, and today there are three tiers within the collection ranging from high-end pieces to moderately priced casualwear.

No. 4: Louis Vuitton
The French luxury fashion and leather goods brand, now a main division of the French holding company LVMH, was founded in 1854 as a luggage retailer. The company is now known for its monogrammed leather handbags and employs designer Marc Jacobs as its creative director. Keeping up with the demand for exclusive luxury, the company is collaborating with a series of artists for limited-edition handbag collections.

Lady Dior Pink Leather Tote Bag

No. 5: Christian Dior
The designer founded the company in 1945 and quickly became famous for the "New Look," a fitted jacket with a nipped-in waist and full calf-length skirt. After the rationing of fabric during the World War II, Dior's lavish use of material was bold and shocking. Since 1996, chief designer John Galliano has been at the creative helm of the French fashion house, owned by the LVMH luxury goods group.

Versace Unisex Croc Leather Clutch Bag

No. 6: Versace
Gianni Versace founded the Milan-based company in 1978. After his 1997 death, his sister Donatella Versace, formerly vice president, stepped in as creative director and his older brother Santo Versace became CEO. Today, despite talks of going public, the company is still entirely owned by the Versace family. While the collection is known for its flashy, embellished style, this spring the looks that came down the runway put more emphasis on cut and volume than shimmer and bling.

No. 7: Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani, 74, is the sole shareholder, president and chief executive of the designer brand. The fashion and luxury goods group manufactures, distributes and sells everything from apparel to cosmetics to home interiors under a range of seven brand names, but it is best known for its menswear.

No. 8: Ralph Lauren
After a stint as a Brooks Brothers tie salesman, Ralph Lauren, 69, started his powerhouse brand 42 years ago with a collection of ties. Today there are over 35 boutiques in the United States. The company offers three collections: Polo is the fast-fashion-fix line for the young metropolitan male; Black Label is a more upscale, edgier version of city dressing; and Purple Label is the ultimate deluxe line. The designer has a personal fortune of $4.2 billion.

Prada Monogram signature shoulder hobo handbag BR3350

No. 9: Prada
Milan-based Prada was founded as a leather goods company in 1913 by Mario Prada. His granddaughter Miuccia inherited the company in 1978 and grew the business into a fashion apparel company. Her claim to fame was the signature Prada nylon handbag, which helped turn the family company into a billion-dollar business.

The YSL Downtown Bag

No. 10: Yves Saint Laurent
Founded in 1961, Yves Saint Laurent was the first fashion house to launch women's ready-to-wear. He opened Rive Gauche boutiques for women in 1966 and added men's ready-to-wear in 1974, which helped make designer luxury labels more accessible to the wider public. The Gucci Group acquired Yves Saint Laurent in 1999.

Spring Savings are in the Air at eFashionHouse.com, Plus Site Welcomes Melie Bianco, Murval and Elaine Turner

eFashionHouse.com ushers in spring with new arrivals, savings up to 50% and adds three new handbag designers - Melie Bianco, Murval and Elaine Turner.

Sky Valley, CA (PRWEB) March 26, 2008 -- After months of winter fashion accessories, spring is finally on its way and eFashionHouse.com celebrates with savings of 25-70% on the latest trends in designer handbags. Committed to offering shoppers the best online prices for purses, eFashionHouse.com, named Best of the Web by People StyleWatch for below retail priced designer handbags and recognized by About.com as the top of three online retailers of off-priced Chanel, just added hundreds of new designer handbags from Marc Jacobs, Prada, Chanel, Gucci, Anya Hindmarch, Isabelle Fiore, Coach, Tano and many more top designers, just in time for spring. The site also added three new designer fashion brands - Melie Bianco, Murval and Elaine Turner - to its huge selection of designer handbags for even more savings.

"We are excited to add Melie Bianco, Murval and Elaine Turner handbags because the handbag demand has changed from including not only the big designer names to now welcoming other chic designers with more affordable prices," said Anna Miller, eFashionHouse Owner. "Regardless of the Economy, women still want to buy themselves a new purse, and making affordable prices available online is the purpose of eFashionHouse where you do not have to spend a fortune to carry a new quality designer handbag."

With all purses priced under $100, both Melie Bianco and Murval are known for their trendy styles and amazing prices. A favorite among fashion editors, Melie Bianco has been featured in an array of magazines, like Marie Claire, People, Cosmopolitan and Self, because it is "chic and affordable" line (prices range from $30-$75) features funky and wearable styles perfect for the trendy fashionista. Another brand that is known for offering the look of couture without the high price, French company MURVAL was created by two sisters, Muriel and Valerie, who recognized the need for fashionable accessories at accessible prices. With its bags costing less than $50, MURVAL comes out with two collections a year and despite the low price points scores high among the fashion crowd.

Though not in the under $100 category, Dallas-based fashion designer Elaine Turner is still considered a bargain since her line features the finest embossed exotic leathers and signature painted grass cloth bags. Elaine Turner quickly rose to the ranks of the fashion It Bag and the brands popularity continues to grow because of its distinct and creative approach to classic looks in handbags and accessories.

Shoppers who crave the more luxurious designer handbag names can still look forward to savings and shop for the latest trends because eFashionHouse.com has it all. Some of the featured handbag styles available at a discount are:

• Marc Jacobs Patchwork Lou bag - 35% off retail
  
• Moschino Patent Leather Brownie bag - 28% off retail
  
• Anya Hindmarch Neeson bag - 20% off retail
  
• Chloe Bay Bag - 31% off retail
  
• Yves Saint Laurent Downtown Bag - 21% off retail
  
• Chanel Small Caviar Tote - 22% off retail
  
• Isabella Fiore Puff Enough Satchel - 15% off retail

In addition to the discounted prices, shoppers can receive an additional 10 percent discount using coupon code OFF10 when making a purchase from the eFashionHouse Sale Section. Plus, budget conscious fashionistas can always take advantage of the eFashionHouse.com layaway plan which allows shoppers to pay over time.

About eFashionHouse.com
Anna Miller is the President of i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. She operates the website http://www.efashionhouse.com/ and sells high-end authentic designer handbags and accessories at off-retail prices. eFashionHouse.com was named Best of the Web by People Magazine StyleWatch for Discount Designer Handbags and Purses. eFashionHouse.com should not be confused with any other website selling a similar product or using a similar name. EfashionHouse.com is the home of five fashion ecommerce stores: BrandsBoutique, LuxuryVintage, DesignersLA, ItalysOutlet, and ValueBags. Anna is considered an Internet Pioneer and Ecommerce Entrepreneur. She has been reselling Designer Merchandise online since the early 90's. eFashionHouse.com has an extensive Press Page and a Fashion Blog Network. Visit the site for more details.

eFashionHouse - PRWeb Press Release Group

Interested in an EFH Layaway Plan? You can put anything on layaway.
Read about the EFH Layaway here: eFashionHouse.com Layaway Program

Marc by Marc Jacobs Handbags - Appealing To Fashion Forward Celebrities

Victoria Becham for Marc Jacobs

By Sheila Nelson

Marc Jacobs handbags are known for being very versatile, and chic. Added to the Marc Jacobs International line in 2000, Jacobs handbags have since become one of the most coveted products available. Marc Jacobs handbags are commonly made from soft calfskin and feature signature details, such as polished gold metal hardware and buckles, and they instantly glam up any outfit. Marc Jacobs handbags are produced with the finest materials in order to present a high quality handbag.

Marc Jacobs handbags are also known for their fashion forward edginess and defining grunge look which is startling but also pleasing to many women. Jacobs' edgy creations have appealed to the hip, youthful and trendsetting crowd since the 1990s, which has made him a legend among fashion forward celebrities. Super models Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell were willing to walk his first runway show free of charge. Even as Jacobs' handbag line swelled in popularity, Marc by Marc Jacobs handbags maintained Jacobs' singular style and continued to display a sophistication that never swayed with changing trends.

Marc Jacobs handbags come in a range of materials from classic leather to modern linen. The more notable Marc by Marc Jacobs handbags are the leather patchwork or quilted designs that are usually outfitted with gold fittings and accessories. Some of Jacobs handbag designs utilize all kinds of leather such as ostrich and others for the more particular consumers. Jacobs usually have designs for each season, and they appeal to all kinds of women. Jacobs handbag designs are also very casual and are made in refreshing colors.

Jacobs defines himself for his excellence in design and his eye for fashion forward style. With bold colors and striking styles, Marc Jacobs handbags are made for women who pride themselves on distinction. Jacobs continue to create and gain supporters and fans for his highly sought after Marc by Marc Jacobs brand, which includes his prestigious handbag collection. Jacobs was the youngest artist to be awarded The Council of Fashion Designer's of America's (CFDA), Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent, a Nobel Prize of the fashion industry. Marc Jacobs has made an excellent name for him and continues down the path of success in the fashion industry.

Marc Jacobs' original handbags are shipped directly from Italy and come with an elegant dust bag. Marc by Marc Jacobs handbags can be found at major high end department stores and online at eFashionHouse.com.

The Perfect Pair - Black & White Designer Handbags

There's nothing more constant than black and white fashion accessories. No matter what you wear or how you feel, something in black or white fits the look and the mood. Just like peanut butter and jelly, black and white prevail when it comes to fashion. No matter what't happening in the fashion scene, you can always depend upon black and white. Your little black dress is complimented by a black and white bag. Your white summer frock is easily accented with a black or white accessory. We believe in versatility, color and style. But, when it comes to the bare necessities we recommend black and white anytime of the year and anywhere you go. Black and white designer handbags make a statement and the right impression.

Visit these links to see a variety of designer handbags with price-points we can smile about... you can't afford not to take a look!

Click here for Bally Handbags - A whole new collection just added of Bally designer handbags and accessories at very affordable price points. Bally leather tote bags, handbags and shoulder bags. Plus, a group of small Bally leather goods include wallets, pouches and travel accessories.

Click here for Melie Bianco Handbags - A variety of synthetic leather handbags in styles, colors and designs everyone loves. Melie Bianco takes the best from the best and makes handbags we can afford.

Click here for MURVAL Handbags - The new Spring Collection just added just-in-time and just for you. Check it out. New arrivals added weekly. Directly from Paris, the Murval quilted collection is a designer winner.

Save this link ..... new items arriving throughout the coming weeks.

Rush: Necessary relationship

Upcoming milestone fosters evaluation of fashion accessory
By Versel Rush


As I approach my half-century birthday (and as of Sunday, I am officially closer to that than my 49th), I feel that it is time that I share with the male population the greatest love-hate relationship we women have. Nope, it’s not with our boyfriends, husbands, or significant others. It isn’t even with our mothers (though having a teenage daughter makes me question that).

It is with our purses—or handbags, if you prefer.

I know that years (several, in fact) ago, I wrote a column discussing the distinct disadvantage women political candidates had since many slacks do not have pockets, which means that you have to try to shake hands, wave, hold a microphone, make a decent speech, etc., while holding a purse on your shoulder or wrist. A true juggling act at best and, more likely, an assault with a semi-deadly weapon when the purse smacks a voter or the candidate herself.

However, even in circumstances when it is best not to carry a handbag, most women do love their purses, and I am including myself in that category. Purses are glorious accessories. You can find very expensive designer purses and carry them for prestige and, in most cases, for years because of their sturdy construction.

Or you can buy cheap and change out often—my modus operandi. I choose purses based upon the price first then the size. I consider compartments, zippers, buttons, and try to avoid Velcro. Shoulder straps are very important and I try on a $7 shoulder bag with as much care as some men do thousand-dollar suits before and after alterations. Like most women, I like my purse to “match” but not be identical. Unlike a lot of women, I don’t have many handbags. I usually use one or two until they are worn out and no longer usable—I am not a slave to fashion as anyone who knows me can tell you and I also don’t like changing my purse since that can require quite a bit of time.

Which is where the hate aspect of the female-purse relationship rears its ugly head. It seems that no matter how big, how small, or perfect a handbag can be, things get lost. I have a longstanding belief that astronomers should use my purse as an alternate for the study of black holes in the universe. And, of course, the ability to find the lost item is inversely proportional to the importance of finding it in the shortest amount of time. I have had more missed calls than you can imagine. I have lost paperback books I wanted to read at restaurants. I can spend 10 minutes looking for a set of keys that I keep with two large keyfobs (including a small flashlight). I think if the FBI was serious about finding Jimmy Hoffa, they should start in some of my old purses.

So, not only do I spend time looking for the thing I need desperately, I also waste time putting all the stuff I didn’t need at that moment back into the purse, and the individual compartments, so that my purse can once again weigh my shoulder down. Then, when my lovely purse has given it all and the seams are ripping and the lining is torn and coming out, do I clean and toss those old receipts and other nick nacks when I get a new purse? Nope, it all goes into the new one just in case the stuff is ever needed. Can’t understand, huh, guys? Think of it as a much cheaper, much lighter version of a toolbox.

NOW you get it!

Burberry feels consumer chill

BURBERRY designer handbags large nova check messenger bag designer purse.

By Rachel Sanderson and Dan Lalor

Reuters


LONDON: Shares in Burberry , designer of this season's hit $3,000 Knight bag, took their biggest-ever daily fall on Tuesday after the fashion house said it may undershoot full-year forecasts.

The company, best known for its trench coats, said third-quarter total revenue to December 31 rose 26 percent to 235 million pounds but retail sales missed targets after it slashed prices more than usual during its December sale. Finance Director Stacey Cartwright said she was still "shooting for" 210 million pounds adjusted full-year earnings before interest and tax, but "it looks a bit of a stretch from where we are today". Cartwright said the retail sales were also hit by a faster-than-expected decline in its key Spanish business. A "couple of glitches" in its IT delivery system meant "we didn't get some product into stores on a timely basis", she added.

Shares in Burberry, Britain's largest luxury fashion brand, fell more than 16 percent to 405.5 pence, sending a chill through the luxury sector. It was Burberry's biggest daily fall since it was listed in London in 2002. UBS analyst Yashuhiro Yamaguchi said the U.S. market, accounting for around a third of Burberry's total revenue, still had good momentum, with 19 percent sales growth. "But we expect cyclical slow down to spread over time," he added. Merrill Lynch analyst Antoine Colonna cut his rating on the stock to "neutral".

SHARE DECLINE
Shares in European luxury good companies have declined in the past three months as expectations grow of a slowdown in high-end spending as global energy prices rise and U.S. and European housing markets weaken. Investors have cut the value of Burberry's shares by 26 percent in that period, deeper than the 11 percent fall for the DJ Stoxx personal and household goods index that includes European rivals LVMH , Christian Dior and Richemont .

Luxury goods executives have argued their sales will be sheltered from the downturn in consumer spending that is hitting many mid-market retailers, as those who can afford goods like their $3,000-plus handbags are relatively immune to economic hardship. Cartwright said Burberry's shift to premium pricing in the past year, including raising the price of its luxury handbags by 25 percent, would help it in the current environment. This spring, Burberry will sell a handbag called "Warrior" in golden alligator skin for 13,000 pounds.

"Our luxury positioning gives us an advantage in these unpredictable times. It doesn't insulate us completely, but it gives us an edge," Cartwright told reporters on Tuesday. Burberry said total revenue rose an underlying 23 percent to 254 million pounds in the three months to end-December. Within that, retail rose 14 percent to 161 million pounds, with same-store sales up 6 percent. Wholesale business was up 74 percent at 74 million pounds, with licensing fees up 7 percent to 19 million pounds.

(Editing by Will Waterman)

Surreal: Accessories that are "an elegant joke"

BALENCIAGA designer handbags gray wool and brown leather designer purses

By Robb Young
International Herald Tribune

There is a breed of designer that relishes the idea of biting the hand that feeds him. Determined to parody fashion and all its paraphernalia, greats like Franco Moschino and Elsa Schiaparelli teased the establishment with hats made out of model fighter jets or shaped like lamb chops.

But then eccentric accessories have long been a favorite means to mock the glamour of the fashion world or to put a surrealistic mirror up against its iconography. Today, young designers are continuing the tradition by dissecting accessory classics and patching them together again in extraordinary hybrids and ironic caricatures.

"We like an elegant joke, not a cheap disposable gimmick," said David Percival, one half of the London label A'N'D, whose most recognizable item is the "shoebag," a handbag that sprouts from the sole of a ladies pump and is perfectly engineered to sit atop a single delicate heel.

The duo is infatuated with creating such mutant accessories , although more the sleek laboratory kind than an ode to Frankenstein. Satchel purses are molded from the upper of a loafer; wallets decorated with the ribbing of a brogue; eyeglasses without lenses that have been split in half and are dangling from earrings; and leather gloves elongated into a buckled belt.

"It's important to not take things too seriously, but it's also amusing to create things that require the viewer to double take on what's seen, to rattle their comfortable perceptions of everyday life, things that at first glance look somewhat 'normal,' " adds Percival's partner, Azumi Yamashita.

Subverting the ordinary is an extension of the deconstructivist movement of the 1990s, when designers like Martin Margiela turned jackets inside out and reassembled classic garments into unexpected new shapes. Only now it is less of a sober conceptual exercise and more tongue-in-cheek.

"Designers have always been inspired by using everyday objects. However, we become less aware of it as they become part of the design lexicon," said Nathalie Kabiri, owner of the jewelry boutique Kabiri in the bohemian Marylebone district in London.

Harriet Vine and Rosie Wolfenden, the pair behind the cheeky costume jewelry line Tatty Devine, have made a career out of defying the conventional idea that accessories are status symbols or a decorative flourish.

"For some, decorative means tiny diamond earrings. For me, a giant paperweight clothes pin is decorative," said Wolfenden, who admits that their hand-painted series of hyper-real popcorn and potato chip pendants molded from glossy resin could be dismissed as simply ridiculous by casual observers.

"Cuckoo clocks, giant Swatch wall clocks, macrame hanging owls - they all have a voice, an internal story. Sometimes the items we choose make no sense, but they are never random," she said. Fine jewelry too has become a playground for surrealist parody. In the hands of young independent labels like Belmacz by Julia Muggenburg, opal and onyx earrings in the shape of human eyes with tear drops suspended from gold chains pay homage to Luis Buñuel's period films.

Harking back to two surrealist masterpieces, Salvador Dali's melting pocket watches in "The Persistence of Memory" and Meret Oppenheim's fur-covered bracelets, the Belgian designer Natalia Brilli has stretched metallic leather veneer over a Rolex-style watch, transforming it into an embossed bracelet.

It's little wonder that the watch is a recurring theme for this new generation, who find themselves surrounded by fashion's vortex of accelerated time. A'N'D also renders its watch parodies timeless - either as plastic reincarnations, mirrored so that the wearer sees himself in the watch face, or as watch-shaped cutouts in leather cuffs. Desiree Heiss and Ines Kaag of the Paris label Bless have carved rosewood bangles in the shape of an analog watch, and Husam El Odeh of London has used the silhouette of an early digital watch to create a transparent Perspex cuff with two real gears suspended within.

"This came from the imagery surrounding airport X-ray security equipment. I found myself mesmerized by the intimate objects that can sometimes be revealed in public," said El Odeh, who has also used a watch motif in his recent collection, which includes a cast metal pendant and suspenders made of linking wristwatches. "I am a firm believer that fashion needs to question itself. I like the way fashion can on the surface pretend to be important but retains a certain irony about its own function," he said, pointing to his personal favorite, a necklace with an engagement ring trapped in a plastic ID-tag pendant.

And what accessory better marks a member of the all-important fashion pack than the requisite pair of sunglasses? El Odeh has embedded them in a sun visor cap, and the Danish designer Vibe Harslof of the brand Fafafa has curved sunglass lenses into bracelets and cast them in silver miniatures for earrings and necklaces. Whether extremely intellectual or absurdly extreme, designers making a pastiche out of how we wear our finery and trimmings don't always have to stoop to the fashion equivalent of slapstick comedy. But a self-deprecating punch line delivered with the right amount of craftsmanship can be a mighty potent message.

Art in the bag

Kellie Hush

High-end fashion brands are joining forces with artists to boost their image. Luxury fashion houses have excelled for decades at creating beautiful emporiums in the hope of driving consumers through boutique doors to buy into the dream. These fashion stores can also remind consumers how powerful a brand is with no-expense-spared fit-outs. But as the bar rises and competition stiffens within the luxury industry, so too have the projects commissioned beyond the fashion realm. And it is all in the name of selling more bags, watches, pens, shoes and clothing.

Last week in Hong Kong, French fashion house Chanel officially launched its latest global power project, the ambitious Mobile Art. Commissioned by Chanel's Karl Lagerfeld, the futuristic mobile art gallery was designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid. Created from fibreglass panels, the 700-square-metre multimillion-dollar pavilion took six months to build and will be dismantled seven times to travel the world. For now its home will be Hong Kong's Star Ferry Car Park before it is packed into 65 containers and shipped to six more cities, ending its tour in Paris in 2010.

"The cost is not important. Chanel is about the dream," says Bruno Pavlovsky, director of Chanel's fashion division. "The project is more about building the Chanel image and what you see today is consistent with our vision for the next 10 years." The 20 commissioned artists had free reign to use any creative medium but all works had to be strictly inspired by the 2.55 quilted handbag designed by Coco Chanel in 1955.

Chanel's contemporary artists include Yoko Ono, Sophie Calle, Stephen Shaw, Wim Delvoye and Fabrice Hyber. Mobile Art curator and the editor-in-chief of the magazine Beaux-Arts Fabrice Bousteau says the initial list was "artists that I like - that's what a curator does. And all said yes, so we now have an exhibition with work by artists who have a strong personality and voice in their work."

The most controversial submission is Wim Delvoye's pigskin 2.55 bags (actually made in the Chanel workshop) and two stuffed tattooed pigs, named Jamie and Slobodan. "We decided not to reject any project," Pavlovsky says. "Chanel herself was controversial, so to have pieces that evoke controversy is OK." After the French artist Sophie Calle had accepted Chanel's commission, a work conflict led her to advertise in a Japanese magazine seeking an artist to carry out her project. Her vision was to stop passers-by, tell them to empty their bags and offer to buy both contents and the bag they were carrying. Soju Tao won the job with a bag budget of EUR11,000 ($17,794). Tao convinced several Chanel-toting strangers to hand over their bags with one 2.55 in the exhibition containing cash, house keys, a camera, mobile phone, an address book and Shirley MacLaine's book Out On A Limb.

Chanel is not the only luxury brand in recent times to collaborate with artists. Cartier's exhibition space in Paris is at its Foundation Cartier and features the work of contemporary artists and photographers. In 2004, Cartier gave the space to designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, who filled the room with intricate designer dresses made using bread. Hermes has exhibition spaces in its Ginza and Singapore boutiques, and currently has its Hbox mobile video theatre screening work by leading video artists at Paris's Pompidou Centre.

In 2006, Louis Vuitton opened its permanent Espace Louis Vuitton gallery on the top floor of the luxury brand's Paris flagship store on the Champs-Elysees. The gallery opened with an exhibition called Alphabet Concept, by New York performance artist and photographer Vanessa Beecroft. Her 13 pictures portrayed nude women wearing clown wigs and with their bodies entwined to shape "LV". Also in 2006, nine artists, designers and architects, including Hadid, were commissioned to create bags for the exhibition space. The seventh and current exhibition, Orients Sans Frontiers, is inspired by the adventures of the automobile from Beirut to Beijing.

Currently running in Melbourne is High Art, a multi-venue exhibition which is part of L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. Taking place on shopping strip High Street, Armadale, Australian designers Scanlan & Theodore, Kirrily Johnston, Lisa Ho, Arabella Ramsay, ksubi, Lee Matthews and Herringbone have collaborated with artists to create installations inside their stores.

Next week Montblanc will take over Sydney's Martin Place with its own "art" installation. Famous for its pens, Montblanc commissioned six contemporary artists and photographers, including David LaChapelle, Jean-Marc Bustamante, Sam Taylor-Wood, Sylvie Fleury, Gary Hume, and Anne and Patrick Poirier to create six shopping bag sculptures. Standing three metres high, the bags have been exhibited on the Champs-Elysees and the Rockefeller Centre.

Designer exhibition spaces have been criticised by the art world, which claims there can be no creative independence when artists are commissioned by a commercial patron.

Yves Carcelle, chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton Malletier, told the BBC at the opening of Espace: "The artists were free in their work. The main difference between art and creativity in fashion is that in fashion you need to sell the product. Art works only if you give it total freedom." When asked if Espace was designed to sell more handbags to tourists, especially the Japanese, who flock to the store to worship the logo-decorated luggage, the answer was: "Sell more handbags? Yes, that's my dream."

Chanel's Pavlovsky is also honest in what Mobile Art hopes to achieve: to sell more bags. "We hope the exhibition will create a strong image for the 2.55. Chanel No. 5 and the fashion already have its own iconic status."

Kellie Hush travelled to Hong Kong as a guest of Chanel.

Chanel is not the only luxury brand in recent times to collaborate with artists. Cartier's exhibition space in Paris is at its Foundation Cartier and features the work of contemporary artists and photographers. In 2004, Cartier gave the space to designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, who filled the room with intricate designer dresses made using bread. Hermes has exhibition spaces in its Ginza and Singapore boutiques, and currently has its Hbox mobile video theatre screening work by leading video artists at Paris's Pompidou Centre.

In 2006, Louis Vuitton opened its permanent Espace Louis Vuitton gallery on the top floor of the luxury brand's Paris flagship store on the Champs-Elysees. The gallery opened with an exhibition called Alphabet Concept, by New York performance artist and photographer Vanessa Beecroft. Her 13 pictures portrayed nude women wearing clown wigs and with their bodies entwined to shape "LV". Also in 2006, nine artists, designers and architects, including Hadid, were commissioned to create bags for the exhibition space. The seventh and current exhibition, Orients Sans Frontiers, is inspired by the adventures of the automobile from Beirut to Beijing.

Currently running in Melbourne is High Art, a multi-venue exhibition which is part of L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. Taking place on shopping strip High Street, Armadale, Australian designers Scanlan & Theodore, Kirrily Johnston, Lisa Ho, Arabella Ramsay, ksubi, Lee Matthews and Herringbone have collaborated with artists to create installations inside their stores.

Next week Montblanc will take over Sydney's Martin Place with its own "art" installation. Famous for its pens, Montblanc commissioned six contemporary artists and photographers, including David LaChapelle, Jean-Marc Bustamante, Sam Taylor-Wood, Sylvie Fleury, Gary Hume, and Anne and Patrick Poirier to create six shopping bag sculptures. Standing three metres high, the bags have been exhibited on the Champs-Elysees and the Rockefeller Centre.

Designer exhibition spaces have been criticised by the art world, which claims there can be no creative independence when artists are commissioned by a commercial patron.

Yves Carcelle, chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton Malletier, told the BBC at the opening of Espace: "The artists were free in their work. The main difference between art and creativity in fashion is that in fashion you need to sell the product. Art works only if you give it total freedom." When asked if Espace was designed to sell more handbags to tourists, especially the Japanese, who flock to the store to worship the logo-decorated luggage, the answer was: "Sell more handbags? Yes, that's my dream."

Chanel's Pavlovsky is also honest in what Mobile Art hopes to achieve: to sell more bags. "We hope the exhibition will create a strong image for the 2.55. Chanel No. 5 and the fashion already have its own iconic status."

Kellie Hush travelled to Hong Kong as a guest of Chanel.

Cufflinks for Men - Casual Elegance

By Andrew W John

If you are a man who is looking to make a real impression in the boardroom or in the office, cufflinks can do a lot of the work for you! Even in today's increasingly casual workplace, there is a real niche to fill when it comes to jewelry on men, and often, that is where cufflinks come in. For such a small addition, they can do a great deal for you. As any success-oriented person needs to be,, you need to be constantly aware of the image that you are projecting. You'll find that with a little bit of work, you can choose just the right pair to accent your image.

There are several types to consider when you are out shopping for a basic pair. Double-faced are the most formal kind and they have two similarly sized faces that are connected with a metal bar. Chain cufflinks on the other hand, connect two similarly sized faces with chain. The easiest type to deal with are push through types and they have a rounded end that is pushed through the button hole, while hinged back ones will have a swiveling bar that will align with the post when the face is pushed through and then lock at a right angle to seal the cuff.

When you are selecting your cufflinks, think about what you normally wear. Do you like warm colors like brown or umber, or do you prefer cooler blues and greens? While the former should be paired with gold or bronze colored cuff links, the later do quite well with silver that have been polished to a high shine. You'll find that having a little bit of flash at your wrist is a great way to command attention, whether you are running the meeting or just sitting in.

Take some time to look at the different designs that are available. You'll find that many of them have logos and designs on them, so find a design that calls to you. If you are selective, or if you have a specific design in mind, talking with a local artist or jewelry maker can end up with you taking custom ones home. Take some time and really think about the statement that you want to make. If you like a hint of subdued elegance, think about using duller stones like amber or a handsome gray mother of pearl. If you really want to stand out, make sure that they are polished brightly and show not a single scratch.

It can often take a little bit of effort to stand out in a crowd, and you can do exactly that. Cuff links are opulent without being overbearing, rich without being spoiled. With the right outfit and the right poise, you'll find that your cufflinks can help you get grounded and then soar!

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We're Crazy for Couture! Are you? Click here to see what's waiting for you. Designer handbags and accessories below retail from all the top Designers. Receive free ground shipping $200 orders and pay no sales tax worldwide. Visit the Sale and Final Clearance sections and get deeper discounts. eFashionHouse.com was named Best of the Web by People StyleWatch and named the top online Chanel retailer by About.com. Check it out. We know you are crazy for couture or you would not have read this far! See the eFashionHouse Press Page. Interested in an EFH Layaway Plan? You can put anything on layaway. Read about the EFH Layaway here: eFashionHouse.com Layaway Program.