First Gallery

Here you will find the first of thirteen galleries of a lovingly curated collection of handbags representing the most popular trends and designers of the late 20th and 21st century.

A Bag is a Bag?

Back in the mid 20th century, a purse was a purse. A day bag was usually structured, of simple mono-colored leather, and unadorned with designer alerts. Evening bags were beaded to be "fancy." The bags pictured here are good representatives.

Bally: Swiss Elegance

Bally is a Swiss fashion house best known for its understated elegance and excellent quality. Pictured here is a structured calf bag with signature "B" shaped hardware.

Besso and the Jelly Craze of 2003

In 2003 Italian company Besso enraged Hermes by putting out an ironic version of the Hermes Birkin bag in rubber (black bag). A lawsuit only seemed to fan the flames of the craze, which spread from Europe in no time at all. To appease Hermes, Besso altered their design (pink bag). Though originally labelled a "knockoff," knockoffs of the Besso bag soon were so plentiful the company had to distinguish their goods as "the original" Jelly Kelly. Bessos come with sleeper bags and authenticity cards.