D~LuxeList

Arianne Tunney Bristol Bag

Allow me to introduce you to a beautiful handbag, designed by a friend of mine. Arianne Tunney is not only a fabulous handbag designer, she's also a fantastic stylist. Here's what she has to say about her amazing Bristol bag:            

D~What inspired the design?

AT~ "I've always loved doctor's bags and the design is based on a vintage bag I've owned for years. This bag is also heavily influenced by my summers in Maine and the schooner that my great grandfather sailed there. I was also influenced by my father's 20-year-old belt, which fastened with a boat hook closure. The mix of beautiful old leather and antique nautical hardware is the signature of my line."

D~ What do you wear it with?

AT~ "Everything from my jeans to my Martin Margiela dress."

D~ Why do you love it?

AT~ The style is classic yet modern so it's very versatile. It's also very light for the size. The back and front pockets are very functional.

Treesje Duchess Grande

SoCal handbag mavens Laura Darrah and Sheila Nazarian have been on my radar for a while now and I've covered their luxe handbags for various publications in the past. My latest obsession from this stylish label is a roomy satchel named Duchess in Black and White Anaconda-print leather. Here's what the girls have to say about this fabulous tote:

D~ What inspired this design?
T~ "The women of 15th century. We were very inspired by the way they carried themselves and the luxuriant apparel they wore. We definitely had this in mind while designing this group."

D~ Where do you carry it?
T~"Everywhere. The generous size of this bag makes it a great everyday staple that is large enough to hold all of your essentials and can easily transition from day to evening."

D~ What do you wear with it?
T~"The color combinations allow for versatility when pairing the bag with pretty much any outfit. The Duchess Grande can spruce up jeans and a tee or complement a chic dress."

Buy the Treesje Grande Duchess at Treesje.com

Leyendecker Wayfarer Dress

Designers Jessica Moss and Lisa Guajardo are among my favorite local design duos. I've been following their work ever since writing a feature on them for Refinery29 way back in January '07. Each season I make a trip to their downtown LA studio to see what's new (and add to my ever-growing Leyendecker collection). For spring/summer I'm smitten with the Wayfarer Dress in a beautiful Aubergine hue. Here's what Jess and Lisa have to say about this gorgeous frock:

D~What inspired this design?
JM~Really this dress is just all about wearability and versatility. The shirred neck is like built in hardware—no necklace required!
LG~And the femininity of it contrasts nicely with the metal zip.

D~What do you wear it with?
JM~You can wear this dress so many ways: pair it with a shrunken blazer for work, go bare for a cute and comfortable sundress. I like it low key, with flat patent sandals and a silk scarf.
LG~Paired with black opaque tights and super high heels or boots, it's great for a night out.

D~Where do you wear it?
JM and LG~ Where don't you wear it?!

Buy the Wayfarer Dress at RevolveClothing.com

Rebecca Minkoff Steady Tote

Oh, how I love Rebecca Minkoff bags... don't we all? I carry my Morning After Bag all the time and think it's fun when people recognize it as a Rebecca Minkoff design (and I admit it's even more fun to tell those people that I know her). But despite the extreme popularity of her Morning After Bag, Rebecca is still cool enough to be considered an indie designer. Personally, I'd much rather be stopped on the street for carrying a Minkoff bag than a Balenciaga that everyone and their mother has. Needless to say, once a season I fall in love with a new RM design and for Spring 2008 it's the Steady Tote. Here's what Rebecca has to say about this fabulous bag:

D~ What inspired this design?
RM~ A leather vest and the old-school snaps.

D~ Where do you carry it?
RM~ Everywhere! I am dying to get my hands on one!

D~ What do you wear with it?
RM~ A great pair of J Brand jeans, Alisha Levine blouse and a Nicholas K trench.

D~ Why do you love it?
RM~ It's the perfect bag to go from day to night and it has lots of room.

Buy the Rebecca Minkoff Steady Tote here. photo courtesy of Rebecca Minkoff.

Rachel Pally U Dress

I adore comfortable easy pieces that are stylish and timeless. Rachel Pally never fails to impress me with her fashionable casual-chic collections and not a season passes without me stocking up on at least three to four new pieces. OK, fine, I'll admit it's closer to six but I wear Rachel Pally designs so frequently that I need an ample selection to choose from. This season I'm smitten with the two-tone jersey, scoop neck U Dress. Here's what Rachel has to say about this great design:

D~ What inspired this design?
RP~ The U Neck Dress is flirty and fresh—a little bit '60s but with a modern twist. I love the colorblocking; it just makes it more seasonal and cute.

D~ What do you wear it with?
RP~ I would wear it with a great pair of flat sandals and some bangles, or with a wedge heel.

D~ Where do you wear it?
RP~ I wear dresses almost every day, so I would wear it to work, to the market, out to lunch with friends... And I would change my shoes at night to make it a bit dressier.

Buy the Rachel Pally U Neck Dress here.
photo courtesy of ShopBop

Heidi Merrick's Janie Coat

The new Designer Q&A feature on D~LuxeList is a mini interview focused on one particular piece within a collection. To kick things off I chose Heidi Merrick. Here, I give you the scoop on my friend Heidi's fantastic Janie overcoat. The design was introduced for the Fall '07 collection and demand for the beautiful design prompted Merrick to create a lighter fabrication for Spring '08.

D~ What inspired this design?
HM~ For that collection I was really trying to answer my constant query, "What do I really want to wear?" And, Dena, you know from the Traveling Dress that I love the attitude that comes with a high collar and I love a fitted sleeve top that finishes more belled. I also think 3/4 sleeves are always chic. I was stepping away from my fitted waist for the first time. The dominant trend then was uber-oversized tent dresses, which I dread, so this was my answer to that.

D~Where do you wear it?
HM ~I wear the black at night when I want to look put together but I'm secretly in jeans and an undershirt. For example, last week that was to Cliff's Edge here in Silverlake. I never take it off when I wear it—I wore it at the table. The collar is so gorgeous to me and it makes me feel swanky. The camel I wear with high boots during the day and the army green I pretty much wear the rest of the time right now.

D~ What do you wear it with (besides jeans and tees)?
HM~ I love to wear it with one of my long-sleeve bells so the sleeve's volume hangs out. It's very Gigi to me.

D~ How did you modify the look for Spring 08?
HM~ It was originally in camel wool with copper silk habutai lining. For Spring I chose navy linen lined in my signature kelly green habutai.

Preorder the Janie here