Hello….Anyone who follows the fashion business! Can any one tell what’s on these days?

The market scenario is stating that these days, the real money is not in clothes or accessories but the success lies in the handbags and fashionable bags. Gianni, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Celine, DKNY, Krug Champagne etc are few names to count. But, in today’s generation youth is especially influenced by the way the celebrities especially whom they like – what they wear, what they carry, how they carry themselves and what all they do in their daily life’s. They are more interested in it rather than anything else. It doesn’t matter how expensive the product is that their favorite celebrity is carrying, but the prime thing is what they are carrying and what fashion is being brought in the market.

Celebrities promote brand which in lieu influences their fan followers and promote in general public the purchase of the same bag. Once the bag comes in fashion - a celebrity displays it and a fan follower purchases it, then it’s not difficult to see why the bag market is so attractive to fashion houses. Size – No problem, but the margins are spectacularly high.

At Louis Vuitton, a bag sells in the shops for something like 14 times its manufacturing cost. With lesser labels, prices tend to be 12 times cost.

There was a time when the rich carried expensive but discreet bags. The famous label handbags were few and their cost was related to quality. It takes a craftsman 17 hours to make a Kelly or a Birkin by hand. In the old days, every craftsman who made a Gucci bag had to slip a card with his number into one of the packets. If there was something wrong with the bag, Gucci would send it back to the man who had made it.

But now Gucci bags are computerized designed and there are only few companies which today also prefer to prepare only unique bags for their celebrities or for the section of people to whom they want to sell. But, the piracy market has entered this segment too so most of the local brands of the bags are also available at fashion streets.

To know, why women will spend so much on a bag when they could buy a piece of jewellery with the money instead? It is easy to explain: People like the excitement of carrying an instantly recognizable designer product such as a Louis Vuitton or Gucci or DKNY monogrammed bag.

It was received wisdom at one time that you could judge a woman by the contents of her bag. A pristine interior with make-up stored in a see through plastic pouch for easy access and wet wipes for dirt emergencies marked the hyper organized woman. A messy interior littered with chewing gum wrappers, a tatty tampon, last year’s credit card receipts and the odd smear of lipstick meant the lady was too busy running from one thing to another to bother about a bag clean out.

These days, however, you don’t need to delve so deep. It’s just as easy to slot the ladies by the bags they carry rather than what is in them. Let’s start at the top end and work our way down.

Hermes: The king of all brands and the most expensive. Thus, the temptation to dismiss the Kelly or Birkin carrying lady as someone who just has too much money to throw around. But no mistake, this is a woman with a classic sensibility that will never fade and the gumption to resist all those passing trends that come and go.

Chanel: I am sorry, but that quilted bag with the giant entwined Cs just doesn’t do it for me. Anybody sporting one risks being labeled as a safe dresser who doesn’t want to take any chances. Unless, of course, they are carrying one of the new styles.

Louis vuitton: Here i have to clear an interest- I am a fan. And even though my trendier sisters complain that everybody seems to sport the LV monogram these days, the truth is that I don’t care.

Dior: The problem wit this label is that it seems to have decided to flog its one big hit, the saddlebag, to death. Carry one now and you are clearly a bit past it as is, frankly, the bag itself.

Gucci: The woman who never wants to get it wrong sticks with Gucci. And the truth is that she rarely does get it wrong with this label.But what’s the fun in riskfree fashion? None, if you ask me.

Prada: I have never been one for the clothes, but you can’t beat prada for its accessories. As far as bags go, this is the fun label.

Last years diary, this years diary, a common book for flashes of inspiration, a list book for lists, a huge number of empty sweetie wrappers and used bus tickets, empty packet of tissues, two packets of tissues with one tissue a piece, chewing gum, hand cream, witch hazel gel, steroid ointment for skin condition, deodorant, broken watch, paracetamol, two different bottles of perfume, compact mirror, small makeup bag, eye shadow pallet too big for make up bag, sunglasses, two plasters for emergencies, a pair of tweezers, lighter, Terry Pratchett book, text book for university course, my house keys, Significant other’s house keys, a dead battery… Hello? Are you still there?
So its lots there in a woman’s bag top carry.

Gals becoming more gadget geeks, looking for a laptop bag that is a little more feminine and still can hold your mobile gear and personal affects. Not surprising when your love of all things electronic means that today’s best dressed women shouldering chargers, laptops, I- pods as important as cosmetics. Along with reimaention of maxi dress, larger tote style or shoulder bags increased weight and bulk means that the humble clutch purse is relegated to evening wear; modern woman need lots of tailor made spaces to house their new toys.

These days emphasis lies on accessories, this doesn’t means that clothes have taken a set back, infact bags now mainly steal the show as there is much choice in the market giving it a  new look altogether to today’s business women. This accounts to a huge baggage and not just a carry bag.
2008 sees a trend for stronger, larger, designer bags that can cope with a woman who carry the equivalent to a load carrier on a building site. Over weight and over sized bags command respect. Women should be warned that it’s not just a bag that is struggling with the extra burden. Chiropractors have noticed an increase in injuries related to heavy handbags.

A woman generally focuses on the handbag that is an attractive and trendy but utilitarian. It should be of a color that works for every outfit, has the correct shape and right number of pockets to fit all those small little things in a systematic manner. It should have a shoulder strap for hands free utility but doesn’t bump constantly into the hip when it swings. A more importantly water and stain proof in case of dew and dirt on a soccer field and looks expensive, large enough to carry everything we need.

Bags are bigger and bolder this year, it is important to find out that flatters your body shape .Short and curvy juxtapose your assets by choosing a long sleek, rectangular or square style. Soft fabric and good quality leather knock off the pounds. If you are tall, slim then a slouchy rounded lobo style will compliment your frame.

Women follow the rule that real money is not in clothes but in accessories. If you specially do not possess one of the trendy bags-you are hopelessly out of date, that is what fashion says!!!