Handbags: The Power of the Purse (Paperback)

by Anna Johnson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The Bolide. The Plume. The Birkin-object of lust in Sex in the City. Celebrating the must-have accessory for the fashion conscious woman, HANDBAGS is an obsessive, irresistible visual extravaganza, featuring over 900 full-color photographs of the most luxurious, witty, covetable, talismanic examples of the bagmaker's art and history.

The iconic Hermès Kelly bag, made from first stitch to last by a single craftsperson. Judith Leiber's whimsical minaudières, Moschino's smiley-face bag, Elsa Schiaparelli's surrealist "bird cage," and the ne plus ultra of fashionable purses-the Chanel bag, reinvented for a new generation by Karl Lagerfeld. There are novelty bags, evening bags, sculptural bags, and class acts. Practical leather pochettes to carry a life, and elegant little reticules for nothing more than a credit card and a lipstick. Profiles of famous bagmakers: Jamin Puech, Kate Spade, Carlos Falchi, and the poet of utility, Bonnie Cashin, with her visionary "Cashin Carry" bags for Coach. Plus the anonymous Florentine artisans whose specialist leather workshops sprouted up in the 14th century.

A labor of love written by Anna Johnson, author of Three Black Skirts, HANDBAGS features over 900 bags from collections, museums, and designers around the world, most of them photographed in seductive full-color exclusively for the book. The perfectly matched complement to Shoes, HANDBAGS is about fashion, about desire, about secrecy, craftsmanship, art, and imagination as well as about the changing roles of women-everything that's packed into every important bag. Includes timelines, fascinating captions, and the "It" bags-anyone for a Fendi baguette?

About the Author
Anna Johnson is the author of Three Black Skirts. She has also written for a number of magazines, including Condé Nast Traveler, Vanity Fair, Elle, Marie Claire, and Vogue UK and Australia. She lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company; illustrated edition edition (October 21, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761123776
• ISBN-13: 978-0761123774
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,464 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #13 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Design & Decorative Arts > Textile & Costume
  #30 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Fashion > History
  #50 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Design & Decorative Arts > Graphic Design > Commercial > Fashion Design

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one size does not fit all!, January 31, 2003

By	Rebecca Brown "rebeccasreads" (Clallam Bay, WA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

A big celebration of those containers in which we store all manner of useful things we think we'll need away from home, & which we hang from our arms & shoulders. This book comes in a handy bag-sized packet offering photos of the spectacular, the artsy, the bon ton & the whimsical.

The names of the handbag makers read like a who's who of haute & not so haute couture - from a 5th century Scythian pouch to Priscilla Snyder's Dragon grip. From European almsbags to imperial beaded evening bags; from pocket books & long pockets from 17the century American women to tapestry French bags & Ottoman reticules from the early 1800s. From pirate chests of the 1930s to wicker bags of the 1950s. From the supercalifragelistic colors & patterns of the 1960s to the leather & tooling of Turkey. From a Hermes saddlebag to a Vuitton bucket shoulder bag of today, see what has inspired & who have crafted these essential accessories.

A fascinating, informative, colorful & well presented archive.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have for Anyone who Loves Fashion, February 9, 2003

By	Peyton (Alabama) - See all my reviews

This little book is a must-have for anyone who loves fashion. The full-color photographs depict the history of the accessory many of us can't live without-- the handbag. You'll get to see purses dating as far back as the 16th century, as well as those made by famous designers like Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Plus, each page also contains interesting details about the styles, designers, and purposes of the handbag throughout time. You'll be surprised at how many beautiful, interesting, and unusual purses fit into such a little book, and wish they were all in your closet! This book also makes a great gift, as its price is relatively low. You should order this book right away-- a great addition to your coffee table!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gem of a book!, March 2, 2004

By A Customer

If you really like bags, this is your book. Lots of lovely photographs and very well written text. A must-have for any handbag lover.