The Second Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards Announced -- Handbag Designer 101 Honors Excel

Melie Bianco handbags in Life & Style

New York, NY (PRWEB) June 25, 2008 -- Handbag Designer 101 announced the winners of the Second Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards which were held on June 18th, at the New York Historical Society.

The Independent Handbag Designer Awards provides an opportunity for handbag designers to break into the notoriously competitive accessory industry. Designers of the most creative handbags squared off against one another with 6 awards given for Handbag Design Excellence. The pressure was on and creativity took over as the contenders designed competing handbags for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show their work among their peers in New York City, the fashion capital of the world with over 400 members of the fashion industry, including press and retailers in attendance.

Famed brand JUDITH LEIBER received the ICONOCLAST Award in Handbag Design at this event. JUDITH LEIBER has been a leader in luxury accessory design. Currently, JUDITH LEIBER has broadened its customer base by evolving the product to meet the needs of younger clientele while remaining true to the brand's heritage. JUDITH LEIBER has stood the test of time and continues to earn international acclaim with their innovative handbags and accessories.

Handbag Designer 101 - the handbag designer resource (www.handbagdesigner101.com), is a hotspot website where handbag designers, aficionados and experts unite to find undiscovered handbags by independent designers; learn about the latest handbag trends; see the handbags that celebrities are wearing today; find out about the latest handbag shopping events and learn about jobs and services of the accessories industry and market. The brainchild of Yasmena and Yazzy Bag creator and handbag designer consultant, Emily Blumenthal, Handbag Designer 101 bridges the gap between designer handbag fan blogs and high-fashion websites.

"We were thrilled at the response we received for the second year. After receiving 600 applicants and then narrowing it down to 25 finalists and at last to have these 6 amazing winners, it is clear that they represent the future of handbags" says Blumenthal. "The consumer public is still very much hungry for the next 'it' bag and we believe it will be from an independent handbag designer as that is where the roots of true creativity is found. We are looking forward to next year and seeing the Independent Handbag Designer Awards continue to grow as an industry event."

A Fashion Panel of judges consisted of: Ann Watson (Fashion Director at Henri Bendel), Lisa Smilor (Associate Director for the Council of Fashion Designers of America), Dani Stahl (Style Director of Nylon Magazine), Dana Palzkill (Senior Vice President of Product Management for Bag, Borrow or Steal), Rebecca Weinberg (Emmy Award Winning costume designer and stylist), David Zyla (3-Time Daytime Emmy Nominated Costume Designer for ABC Inc./All My Children) and Julia Poteat (Assistant Professor of Fashion Methods for Parsons The New School for Design.)

WINNERS AT A GLANCE:
• Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design:
Lui Antinous for Lui Antinous, www.luiantinous.com
Presented by President of LaunchBags, Jana Hanci

• Best Handmade Handbag :
Darren Wallace for Darren Wallace
Designer makes bag him or herself, by hand or machine
Presented by Debbie Stoller, Author of the Stitch 'N' Bitch Series and Founder of Bust Magazine

• Best Student-Made Handbag :
Clara Yoo for C L A R A Y O O
Students who have successfully started their lines while still in school
Presented by Scott Schramm, SVP DMM for Fashion, Apparel and Accessories for Henri Bendel

• Most Socially Responsible Handbag :
Bags that meet certain ethical and moral standards with respect to production, employment and philanthropy, and have impacted the local culture of the country of manufacture
Bridget Reid: PFYH, www.pfyhalpaca.com
Presented by Kendall Farrell, Executive Director for Bottomless Closet NYC

• Best Green Handbag :
Helen Marcoschamer: Ecoist www.ecoist.com
Bags made from sustainable, recycled or organic materials
Presented by Bill Bossak of McCormick Distilling's 360 Vodka

• Audience Fan Favorite:
Susanna Scarola, Bellabags, www.bellabags.com
Selected by Bag Borrow or Steal's readers and consumers for their favorite independent handbag designer based on the 25 for the 2008 IHDA, this handbag received the most votes.
Presented by Bag Borrow or Steal's Chief Marketing Officer, Jodi Watson

Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: JUDITH LEIBER
Presented by Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute

"I was honored to accept the Iconoclast Award Wednesday night on behalf of Mrs. Leiber. The passion and enthusiasm of the Independent Handbag Designer Awards evoke the same spirit Judith Leiber was founded on 45 years ago" says Mary Gleason, Brand President of JUDITH LEIBER. We congratulate Emily Blumenthal and the winners. We look forward to seeing how these emerging talents will continue making handbags everyone's most wanted accessory."

In addition to the title in their respective categories, the winners a variety of prizes such as an apprenticeship with Henri Bendel's handbag accessory design team for the Best Student Made Handbag; an opportunity to have their bags on Bag Borrow or Steal for the Audience Fan-Favorite, to design an original 360 Vodka eco-luxury handbag for the Best Green Handbag; a feature in Taunton Press' CraftStylish.com and a brand new Singer Curvy 8763 sewing machine for the Best Handmade Handbag; a chartable donation to their cause for the Most Socially Responsible Handbag, their bag featured on ABC's All My Children and a free booth at WWDMAGIC Accessories Show in Las Vegas (worth over $7000) for the Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design as well as other press-related accolades, a trunk show and window display at Henri Bendel and a season of free samples from LaunchBags.

The main underwriting sponsor of the IHDA is LaunchBags, the one-stop shop for all things handbag. From inception to sale, their services support, emerging and established talent in the accessories industry. Additional sponsors include: Women's Wear Daily, The Luxury Institute, WWDMAGIC, Bag Borrow or Steal, Henri Bendel, The Fashion Business Improvement District: The Fashion Center, Commerce Bank, Rosenthal & Rosenthal Inc., The Garment Industry Development Corporation, Parsons The New School of Design, Wathne Limited, M&J Trimming, TUKATECH, Leather Suede Skins, Rosen & Chadick Fabrics, RIRI Zippers/Pacific Trimmings, Verve NYC, Digital Plus, Clothing Labels 4U.com, 360 Vodka, Glaceau, POM Wonderful, Casa de Vinos and the Bottomless Closet.

Handbag Designer 101, the handbag designer resource, was inspired by the need for the handbag designer, aficionado and fan in all of us as one knows we can never have too many bags. Handbag Designer 101 and Independent Handbag Designer Awards trademarks are owned by handbagdesigner101.com, a privately held company based in New York City.

Love at First Sight: Melie Bianco

Written by Sarah

Recently I fell in love. I feel in love with a handbag and the handbag’s name was Melie Bianco.

Then I saw the price, and I knew this was a forever kind of deal (well, maybe more like a summer romance type thing, but still, I was impressed).

Melie Bianco handbags are trendy, yet inexpensive so you can look good for a few seasons, then move on to the next best thing.

I found this Western Fringe Tote on the Little Blossom website. The bag is $42.00, faux suede, comes in many colors, and has FRINGE!

I’m a big fan of the mustard color (would match nicely to those Mia boots I just bought…), but it also comes in maroon, kelly green, and various chocolate shades. This particular site is out of the turquoise color, but with a little surfing around the interwebs, you can probably find it somewhere else online. So check out this tote, and other styles by Melie Bianco, there are tons of unique, and inexpensive bags to choose from!

Never-ever Ending Classic Accessories - Designer Handbags

Melie Bianco handbags are awesome!

It is a golden rule that any outfit is just not complete without the proper attire to go with it, meaning stylish handbags and shoes. We live a modern society where fashion rules and fashion designers have set up pretty high standards. By using the Internet, women have a much easier access to the wonderful world of designer handbags and apparel, benefiting from real discounts and a wide range of products when they order on-line.

By Peter James

It is a golden rule that any outfit is just not complete without the proper attire to go with it, meaning stylish handbags and shoes. We live a modern society where fashion rules and fashion designers have set up pretty high standards. By using the Internet, women have a much easier access to the wonderful world of designer handbags and apparel, benefiting from real discounts and a wide range of products when they order on-line.

Designer handbags are sought by women worldwide. Women look for famous names names like Marc Jacobs, Christian Dior, and Gucci who have now entered the online virtual shopping experience which offers women the chance to purchase anything they ever wanted, including sophisticated and trendy designer handbags.

With many collections now available, and that are presented on the net include designer handbags from widely known and talented designers such as: Gucci, Fendi, Kooba and Stella McCartney. The variety of shapes and colors are just dazzling, especially when it comes to following the latest fashion trends. The celebrities that wear these handbags, set the trends.

Nowadays, it is commonly known that if you want to look chic you must have one of the fashionable designer handbags. The fashion industry has used the Internet as a valuable resource and led in a short period of time to the development of online shopping. With the help of online stores we can now find handbags that are both elegant and functional.

Designer handbags are durable and unique in style. There are practically a multitude of online shops presenting such handbags but it is recommended to choose the ones with lower prices and discounts. These stores are designed to display such products and show ultimate modern styles. We can find casual, trendy or casual handbags, available in a wide variety of materials and styles. No matter if you are looking for usefulness, style or elegance, the net can surely help you in your search.

We suggest that you choose from such a large collection of designer handbags on the net, it is impossible not to find one that suits your style and body shape. Using the right accessories will certainly enhance any outfit and give you a whole new look. The meticulosity of fashion designers can be observed on their creations, especially when you see so many materials, colors and straps beautifully blended elegantly.

Designer handbags are mainly made to make you feel elegant and attractive. Of course, the true power of being in the fashion lies in your inner self but sometimes a little help cannot hurt too much. With the aid of online virtual stores that present offers for designer handbags, you have the possibility of evaluating different styles and materials, whilst comparing fashion tendencies and designs.

There are two main reasons why designer handbags are so popular and affect how we live today. The quality and class cannot be denied, particularly when it comes to brands name like Gucci or Fendi. You just have to look at the sign and you feel confident that you’ve made the right choice. Sophistication and elegance are some of the main features that make these handbags so incredibly appealing, especially when you see how easy it can be to make your very own fashion statement.

Handbag’s have a long history, ever since the time when it was mainly used for carrying coins. Today, we use it to carry all sorts of things including: keys, make-up, credit cards and feminine products. Depending on the size, we can wear handbags just for being chic or to be practical. Designer handbags are much more than just handbags; they are a glamorous yet functional accessory, always showing an increased sense of style and refinement.