Coquette

Go Behind the Scenes with Luxury Brands: Goyard & Louis Vuitton

(Photos: Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle)

French luxury brands Goyard and Louis Vuitton and known for their history of craftsmanship and their recognizable canvas patterns. I love getting a peek inside the studios of these two brands where you can see artisans working with their hands to create art.

Goyard

The SF Gate recently covered Goyard's painting workshop located in San Francisco in it's article Goyard Monograms - ABCs of Luxury. It's only one of three around the world where artists carefully paint and embellish bags with monograms, stripes, flowers, or custom designs.

A custom cable car design on luggage.

Louis Vuitton

(Photo: Marie Hennechart, The New York Times)

This week, Louis Vuitton opens up their exclusive doors to their atelier in Asnières, France (a suburb of Paris). The New York Times has official coverage of A Rare Look Inside the Atelier of Louis Vuitton. The article includes a plethora of photos that show the process of creating Louis Vuitton bags and luggages. Drool worthy!

(Photo: Purseblog)

Back in the U.S., Purseblog also has a preview inside the new Atelier at Louis Vuitton Soho in NY. Take a look!

Toting Michael Kors

I am so in love with the colorful saffiano leather MICHAEL Michael Kors Jet Set Totes. They come in some of the freshest candy colors but also classic black and brown. In a land of inflated bag prices where even a tote could set you back almost $1,000, it's nice to see that these stylish totes are affordably priced in the $200 range that you can easily gather one up in a couple of your favorite colors.

The MICHAEL Michael Kors Saffiano Jet Set Medium Travel Tote ($278 at Zappos) is generously sized to place all your essentials as well as stuff you will need for a day trip to wine country or for lounging by the pool. It's definitely a perfect size to take on an airplane.

The MICHAEL Michael Kors Jet Set Small Travel Tote ($228 at Zappos) is great for looking chic and elegant while bopping around town. It holds your essentials plus a little more.

Everpurse: The Bag that Charges Your Phone

Everpurse is a bag that charges your phone so you'll never have low battery ever again! The clutches and wristlets are perfect to carry essentials when you are on the go or to be used inside your larger handbag. Prices range from $189-$319 or you can retrofit your own handbag for $600 (if your bag is compatible). Current mobile phones that are compatible with Everpurse are: iPhone 4, 4S, 5 and Samsung Galaxy S III.

How does it work? Everpurse charges on it's own mat overnight and uses inductive charging to send energy wirelessly from the mat to the purse. Inside the bag there's a special charging pocket where you place your mobile phone.

This is the perfect mergence of tech and fashion!

Watch the video above to find out more about Everpurse.

#CoachPreview: Coach Fall Preview 2013

(Photos: Courtesy of Coach)

It's still Winter in NY, so heading to the Fall 2013 Preview at Coach headquarters made we covet even more all of the stylish warm hats, scarves and gloves to help brave the cold. I loved everything in the Fall collection, even the Mens items. The Fall handbags are a diverse mix of new styles and the classic Coach design. I really liked the purple envelope clutch pictured center above, a nice modern update to the classic Coach bags. The 2013 handbags are dressier and would make the perfect bag for a night on the town. Available in both leather and suede and in every fabulous Fall color.

Also featured were items from the Coach + Billy Reid Collection, a collaboration with designer Billy Reid featuring rich leather satchels and soft suede bags. I must have the blue suede bag and the portable bar set would make a great gift.

Here are more highlights from the Coach Fall 2013 Preview:

(Photo: Instagram @Coach)
At the event, there were yummy treats to take home to help cure the Winter doldrums.

~Leigh

Spring 13: All About Black and White

This spring the classic black and white combo gets a boost with interesting prints like this Rebecca Minkoff Corey Jacket ($378 at Rebecca Minkoff) pictured above left and the Rebecca Minkoff Becky Jacket in classic black with white collar ($368 at Rebecca Minkoff, size L is on sale for $257.60 at Shopbop). Black and white is easy chic in my book and also a great way to add a fun splash of color when you want it to look more casual.

Here are more black and white fashions + accessories:

Colorblock Seamed Sheath Dress ($89 at LOFT)

Rachel Zoe Rosie Colorblock Shirtdress ($315 at Neiman Marcus)

Rebecca Minkoff Silk Sacramento Dress ($368 at Piperlime)

Rachel Zoe Simone Colorblock Shirt ($195 at Neiman Marcus)

Dotty Monochrome Blouse ($88 at Anthropologie)

Nine West Acre ($89 at Piperlime)

Rachel Roy Brigitte ($225 at Piperlime)

Rebecca Minkoff MAC Bombe ($325 at Piperlime)

Kate Spade New York Post Street Little Nadine ($458 at Piperlime)

Louis Vuitton Mini Bags

Just hitting Louis Vuitton boutiques and online is Louis Vuitton's new crop of small bags - Alma BB, Pochette and Monceau to name a few. The video features model bloggers Hanneli Mustaparta, Miroslava Duma and Elin Kling. The stop animation showcases all the candy colored bags and small leather goods in a fun way. My favorite are the new epi leather colored pochettes that have a tad longer shoulder strap. Adorable, right? Something to dream about as spring is just around the corner.

Alphabet Bags: Letter Canvas Pouches

I'm totally in love with the Letter Canvas Pouches ($28.60) by Alphabet Bags. Use them for just about anything -- makeup, money, notebook/pens, gadgets, etc. You can even use them as a small clutch to carry your essentials. Each letter of the alphabet is available and is screen printed in black on heavy natural canvas. The bag is lined with black cotton lining. Makes a great gift!

French Style: My Style Favorites & Inspiration from Paris

When it comes to style, I'm a keen observer of how French women wear it well. And thanks to my French husband, I frequently get to visit that magical place called Paris. It is a place where art, history, fashion and style come together.

Here are my favorite Instagram pics from my recent trip to France. You can follow me on Instagram at coquettenatalie.

Timelessness is everything to me in terms of accessories and I love it when they have a fun twist. This Hermes Kelly bag looks more youthful with its color block update.

Sleek silhouettes are what I go for in what I wear. I also live in ballet flats so those gold-toed black ones are calling my name.

I'm a statement jewelry kind of gal and usually choose one or two pieces to anchor my look. On a visit to the Louvre, I was inspired by these tribal necklaces made B.C. and their wonderful soft pale neutral blue/green/turquoise colors.

My heart belongs to crafts. The French have a huge history in needlepoint and embroidery. I love these stylishly cute embroidered shoes on tote bags.

Artist Yayoi Kusama dots seemed to be everywhere in Paris. You couldn't help but smile at the beautiful polka dots and vibrant colors. So cute to see her life-like statue in the Louis Vuitton Paris flagship.

My new wallet in pomme d' amour (candied red apples). Red is a classic color that I always go to to make a bold fashion statement.

You can also never go wrong with orange. My favorite thing to do is to punch up an outfit with a colorful printed scarf. It's something I always see Parisian women do. Classic and chic.

Speaking of classic and chic, you can also never go wrong with black and white. Coco Chanel showed us this almost a century ago. I always pack a little black dress for my Paris trips because I know it will work perfectly for a dinner out. For fall, I love the return of the skirt, especially for dressy occasions.

I always have a soft spot for pink and yellow. I love vintage style and sheath dresses are an easy staple to throw on when you want to get dressed quickly.

I saw so many French women carrying different sizes and colors of this sequined canvas tote both in Paris and Bordeaux. To me a tote bag is an essential and I love that the French make it all the more stylized. I'll need to add this to my collection on my next trip!

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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Intel via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Intel.

Coach Legacy Collection Fall 2012 - Preview the Lookbook!

(Lookbook photos courtesy of Coach)

As previously reported on Coquette by Leigh back in March (post here), Coach is coming out with the new Coach Legacy Collection for Fall 2012. The bags, accessories, and shoes pay homage to their classic designs with some modern updates. I can't resist the candy colors, I've had my eye on the blue legacy duffle ($348) one since Leigh posted the photos last March but now that I've seen the color block version below, I'm sold on the blue, red, and tan duffle.

legacy color block leather candace medium carryall ($458) + legacy color block leather medium duffle ($398)

(Photo: fabsugar)

The bags have already been spotted by celebs like Kristen Bell and Rachel Bilson. The relaxed and stylish duffle bags are perfect for both work and play. The line of bags, shoes, and accessories will be available in select Coach boutiques and you can shop by color on Coach.com.

See more bags, shoes, and accessories from the new Fall 2012 Coach Legacy Collection after the jump!

Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama Collection - Seeing Dots!

Louis Vuitton has collaborated with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama with a new collection that will launch at Louis Vuitton boutiques starting tomorrow, July 10th in NYC at the Fifth Avenue Maison and Soho Kusama concept store. The collection will then be available nationwide in select Louis Vuitton locations on July 19th.

Marc Jacobs has been a fan of the artist's sculptures and paintings when he encountered her work in Tokyo back in 2006. In this fun collection, Kusama's organic repetitive polka dot patterns cover everything from ready-to-wear to bags, accessories, and shoes. For the artist, who sees her life as "a dot lost among millions of other dots", this collaboration will allow her to spread her polka dots infinitely across the world and convey her message: "Love Forever".

You also won't want to miss all the beautiful Louis Vuitton windows worldwide which will be decorated with Kusama's emblematic motifs. If you are in NY, the Yayoi Kusama exhibit will be at the Whitney Museum. I can't wait to see the displays at Champs-Élysées LV in Paris!

Visit the Louis Vuitton Yayoi Kusama site for more info.

I love the Pochette Accessoires Monogram Vernis Dots Infinity in Black. So adorable.

For a preview of more accessories and shoes from the Louis Vuitton Kusama collaboration, just click the link below for more goodies after the jump!