Jimmy Choo creates line for Elton John AIDS Foundation

It’s always great to see a big brand give back, and Jimmy Choo is putting their money where their mouth is with a new limited edition collection in partnership with the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The line, named Project PEP, will send 25% of its proceeds to help fund South Africa’s Simelela Rape Center. The center is often instrumental in administering patients the preventative medicine that lessens the likelihood that a victim will contract HIV from her attacker, as well as providing psychological services after the fact.

The collection itself will feature the collage-like pattern that you see here as a representation of some of the iconic elements that make Jimmy Choo all that it is today. This should look familiar to anyone that involved in punk culture in their formative years – the gritty look is a clear take-off of that subculture. It will be printed on coated canvas for the line’s bags, clutches and pouches and also used in several types of shoes. Prices will range from around $100 for flip-flops to almost $1000 for a large bag. If you like the pattern or are a Choo fan, this is money you can feel good about spending.

Jimmy Choo Sky Shoulder Bag

I’m using a kind of stock photo that we normally don’t choose for our posts here at PurseBlog in order to demonstrate the Jimmy Choo Sky Shoulder Bag  for a few reasons. First, all of the traditional straight-on stock photos I could find have the bag overstuffed to the point of looking like a giant fringe-y rectangle hobo, and that’s not a good look. I try not to criticize a bag based on shortcomings that don’t actually exist, and when I took my first look at the regular shots of this bag, something told me that that’s not what the bag would be like if I actually saw it in the wild.

Jimmy Choo Sky Leather BagSo when I started scrolling through all the detail shots, I got to the one of the mannequin wearing a slightly-less-stuffed version of the bag and it confirmed my first suspicion – this is actually pretty cool purse. The leather looks magnificent and the rows of short fringe don’t come off as overpowering or gimmicky. I think it was a great move to make the gusset out of regular flat leather instead of covering it with fringe, and the overall effect is that of an excellent everyday bag for fall and winter with a ton of personality. Which brings me to my second reason for making this post – it’s an important reminder to never trust stock photos to be gospel truth. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2295.

Jimmy Choo Patent and Suede Shoulder Bag

No way. I just stumbled across a Jimmy Choo handbag that I want to go out and buy right now. No, this isn’t one of the Jimmy Choo bags that makes a huge, loud statement. Yet, it is a Choo bag that I am certain we will see countless celebrities carrying, don’t you think? The Jimmy Choo Patent and Suede Shoulder Bag will no doubt turn into a go-to handbag.

Jimmy Choo Patent and Suede Shoulder Bag

If I had to choose between Choo shoes or handbags, I would have to say I am a shoe fan. But, this bag has me singing a different song. I love the gray patent and suede combination as well as the gold-tone hardware. Typically, I am a little skeptical when it comes to gray material and gold hardware, for some reason it doesn’t always seem to go together as well as I’d like it to. However, this bag executes the combination flawlessly. The zip pockets add character to the bag, they don’t make it seem busy. Now add the slight stud detailing and you have a bag for seasons to come. Pair it with bright colors this spring/summer then with your favorite jeans and black top this fall/winter and voila, success! Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1750.

Up Close with Jimmy Choo

I promised you a better look at the Jimmy Choo Martha Clutch that we covered earlier this week. After I reviewed the bag I realized that the picture on NAP had the middle of the bag zipped up, which does nothing great for the look of this particular clutch. All of the Jimmy Choo  Zip bags look better unzipped. This is a fact; every single zip bag from Choo looks 10 times better unzipped. My only gripe with this clutch is that it is flimsy. I like a hearty handbag that keeps its shape. If you don’t mind a lack of structure and you love animal print, then this clutch will be perfect for you. Again, I am not hating on it, I am just wishing for more structure on an otherwise stunning clutch. At least it will pack well for trips. Buy through Net A Porter for $1595.

Jimmy Choo Lucy Hobo

The first thing that struck me about the Jimmy Choo Lucy Hobo was the name – Lucy! My parents have a seven-month-old English Bulldog puppy named Lucy that is just about the most adorable and aggravating little thing in the world, and whenever I hear the name I think of her. That’s neither here nor there, but everyone loves a puppy, right?

As far as the bag goes, I find it a little aggravating as well. I like the idea, and I like the theory behind the leather’s finish – what I don’t like is the execution. The stamped pattern and shininess seem a little too glam for the color, shape and hardware that were used. When I think about a brown bag, I want something casual with a soft, maybe even slightly rugged, finish. I want the leather too look like it’s been worn in and worked like a baseball glove, and what Jimmy Choo has done here just doesn’t seem quite right to me. Keep the hardware, keep the color, keep the hobo shape, maybe make the body of the bag a little larger, and lose the stamping and shiny finish. The flap is a little big and triangular, but that’s kind of a minor point. Follow that prescription, and they’d have a mighty fine bag indeed. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1495.

Jimmy Choo Martha Pony and Suede Clutch

As we continue to grow, we continue to hire more writers, interns, and workers which has me writing a bit less and doing things behind the scenes a bit more. But I must admit I miss writing. I am not a product of a journalism school, but I am a gal who loves handbags and always loves to share what I think about them, which is precisely why we started this site. So I have worked it out that you will be hearing from me again much more. You are stuck with me, it is going to take a lot more to get rid of me!

Onto this Jimmy Choo handbag. Luckily we had this bag in our office so I can tell you precisely what it is like in person. Let me first say that I love the look of the Jimmy Choo Martha Pony and Suede Clutch, it is totally edgy and fun. The problem with this bag is its structure, rather lack their of. The bag is flimsy, and really has a hard time keeping its rectangular shape. The materials are great though, and obviously light, with a combination of multicolored pony skin and suede. This is another one of those brilliant zip Jimmy Choo bags which will help the bag expand or contract depending on what you want (leave it expanded, it looks so much cooler). So my gripe is merely how this clutch loses its shape. Every other aspect of this clutch I love. The version that we had was a bit different (images to come later) but Jimmy Choo keeps wowing us with their love of animal prints. Buy through Net A Porter for $1595.

Jimmy Choo Odette Tote

Jimmy Choo is another of the major designers whose fall designs have started to trickle out a bit sooner than some of their brethren. And, from a public relations standpoint, it might have been a great idea for them to arrive a little early. I feel like we’ve all been looking at basically the same group of handbags on every website for the past few months – first at full price, now on sale. And I’ve got some fatigue of those designs, even at their newly lowered prices. I want something new.

And the Jimmy Choo Odette Tote is definitely something new, both for us and for the good folks at Choo. It’s decidedly more “biker” than any of their bags I’ve seen so far, what with the black pebbled leather and silver-hardware harness that stretches down the sides of the bag from the handle attachment in the front (can’t see it in this picture, but I promise it’s there! And it’s cool). I’m usually look at pebbled leather rather sneeringly, but here, I like it and it goes well with the industrial theme. It also doesn’t seem to sacrifice the bag’s slouch, as pebbling so often does, and a good bit of slouch is oh so important in my life. Buy through Saks for $2095.

Botkier + PurseBlog Bag at Saks 5th Avenue NYC

While the main purpose of our trip to NYC a couple of weeks ago was to find an apartment, Vlad and I knew we had to make a trip to Saks Fifth Avenue NYC to see the Botkier + PurseBlog Limited Edition Bag. Not only did we find the bag on display on the front table of floor five among the contemporary designers, but also is it featured in one of the window displays right off of 5th Avenue!


As far as high points in our blogging life go, this is one of the very top. I wanted to scream with excitement and tell everyone walking by the window that the bag on display was designed by the readers and members of our website. But I didn’t – I should have, right?!

The bag is still available for sale online but it is also for sale at the Saks 5th Avenue Flagship store in NYC. If you are in the area, you must check it out!
Thank you again to Botkier and Saks for the amazing partnership. And of course, thank you to all of you – who made this collaboration one of the most reader and brand involved processes I have ever been a part of or seen!

Jimmy Choo impresses for the first time in a long time

Things from Jimmy Choo accept been a bit “blah” lately. They’ve connected to accomplish a lot of accepted styles from antecedent seasons in new abstracts and finishes, which should accomplish the brand’s admirers happy, but I consistently adopt to see something new alongside old favorites.

The Jimmy Choo Rosa Satchel maybe not assume all that arresting or avant-garde to the accidental observer, but for Choo, it’s something a bit different. Many of the brand’s accoutrements accept been a bit over-designed in contempo seasons, and with that in mind, the abstemiousness and alteration that went into this architecture are admirable, not to acknowledgment actual attractive.