Brand To Know: Mansur Gavriel Handbags

Earlier this week, I came across a great profile of new handbag line Mansur Gavriel by Lauren Sherman over at Fashionista, and the bags were so good – and filled such an obvious gap in the contemporary market – that I couldn’t help but run right over here to share the good news with you guys. If you’ve ever wondered why it’s so hard to find a simple, elegant leather handbag at a non-outrageous, you’re not alone – designers Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel wondered that, too.

I receive multiple press pitches from multiple new handbag brands hoping to get a mention here every day, and to be quite honest, most of them have missed the design mark entirely. The contemporary marketplace has enough slouchy, fringe-y hobos with decorative hardware. What the contemporary market needs is more brands making modern, unfussy bags using the best materials available at the price point – essentially, doing what Hermes or Celine do with their simpler leather bags, but on a more affordable scale. With its first collection, that’s what Mansur Gavriel appears to be attempting to do. The exteriors of the bag are rendered in smooth, neutral leather, while the interiors have a contrasting bright coating. Personally, I’m hoping that future lines expand the bright colors to the exteriors as well.

According to Sherman, all of the bags in the brand’s first collection are made of Italian leather and assembled in China, but there’s good news for those of you who are allergic to those words – as of Spring 2014, the brand will move production of its bags to Italy. Unfortunately, there’s also a bit of bad news. Basically the entire Fall 2013 collection, which ranges from $65 to a phone case to $495 for the bucket bag you see above, is already sold out. It’s not even August. Clearly, there’s a demand for reasonably priced bags that don’t look like they’re made for someone who looks up to Vanessa Hudgens as a style icon. (Clare Vivier’s success should have taught designers that as well.)