Balenciaga's Alphabet Tote ($1795) is a playful and colorful alternative to dark and subdued handbags that we'll be inundated with this season. A mix of suede and leather offer the backdrop to a vibrant assortment of letters, spelling out Balenciaga of course, and a candy colored red trim along the front panel extending to double khaki leather handles with olive leather adds a splash of complementing color.

The interior is roomy enough for work, running errands - and forgoing plastic bags - going to the gym, as an overnight bag or as carry-on. An unexpected metallic leather lining adds even more interest to an already shows stopper of a bag. Measurements: 15" x 14" x 7".

Have tips or suggestions? Contact me @marsha712

Francois Pinault is a man justifiably envied by many. With a fortune of $8.7 billion the high-school dropout-turned luxury goods titan is the majority shareholder of PPR, whose brands include Gucci, Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta. He also owns famed auction house Christie's and the renowned Chateau Latour winery. His amazing contemporary art collection, worth an estimated $1.4 billion, encompasses 2,000-plus works by over 80 artists including Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Takashi Murakami and Damien Hirst. Much of it is now housed as his two incredible private museums in Venice, the Palazzo Grassi and the Punta della Dogana. Both historic buildings were transformed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando and are the subject of a smashing new book from Skira Rizzoli.

Tadao Ando: Venice - The Pinault Collection at the Palazzo Grassi and the Punta della Dogana shows how Ando's designs seamlessly blend history and innovation while adhering to the strict laws governing the preservation of historic buildings in Venice. At the Palazzo Grassi, prominently located on the Grand Canal, Ando's quiet but expert renovation of the eighteenth-century rooms makes a perfect backdrop for Jeff Koons' eye-popping balloon sculptures. At the Punta della Dogana (shown on the cover above), the Venetian Republic's original customs warehouse, the large-scale space was subtly subdivided into refined rooms for installation art. The "dialogue – that is collision and friction – between the new and the old," Ando states, "is the driving force in creating a city's future."

Extreme, statement-making shoes make the woman.

If you routinely go the safe route on your footwear choices (and, by safe, I mean simple plain black pumps or modest, solid-colored flats), you're just not living. Or at least not setting yourself apart.

The fashion world is obsessed with over-the-top shoes. The crazier, the scarier, the stranger, the better. And, because fashion is a business, it means women's appetite for extreme footwear is increasing by leaps and bounds.

Sky scraping platforms. Metallic belt-buckle over-the-knee boots. Shoes that resemble the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Shoes that look like bloated armadillos. Cowboy boots that threaten to topple you over backwards. Torturous spikes. Spinal stilettos. Garter belt lace-ups. Stilettos festooned with feathers.

For fall, 2010, ski bindings and interior design materials like plywood and Formica marry to create Baleniaga's high-heeled, color-blocked loafers. They are absolutely nuts! And you'll no doubt see them on some Hollywood It creature come red carpet events later this year.

Riccardo Tisci's Givenchy fall lineup includes an impossibly complicated pair of red lace-up booties that have tiny bumps not unlike some deep sea monster.

Many design houses crank out fragrance after fragrance but not Balenciaga. The brand is launching its first major perfume since 1998, the first under creative director Nicolas Ghesquière. The Balenciaga Fragrance is an understated soft floral chypre scent with unpretentious French beauty Charlotte Gainsbourg as the face of the brand. Perfumer Olivier Polge aimed for an air of delicate mystery, a fragrance that is subtle but interesting. The scent is gently floral with an opener of demure violet that leads into warmer notes of pepper and mossy wood. The overall effect is one of minimalist cool with a hint of something antique and ladylike. The simple glass bottle with the craquelure style top matches the classic reserve of the scent.

We're giving away one bottle of the Balenciaga Paris Eau De Parfum, 1.7 oz. valued at $95 to one lucky commenter.
Some other important details:

* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before April 23, 2010 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive the 1.7 ounce Balenciaga eau de parfum valued at $95.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete contest rules here.

This contest is now closed. Thank you for your participation.

As much as we may love a gorgeous leather bag, they're not always so practical during the summer season. Having the weight of a leather bag on your shoulder along with leather against your skin during 80+ degree weather is an uncomfortable feeling. An ideal alternative is a raffia handbag. It's lightweight material, smooth texture and a hint of sheen gives a handbag a casual yet sophisticated feel. Raffia handbags most commonly are available in various shades of brown with leather or exotic skin accents to add texture and color, but dyed raffia handbags are becoming just as popular. With its malleable properties, raffia can be easily and thoroughly dyed without losing it's integrity and cheapening the overall look.

Featured above is the Large Basket Classic Bag by Balenciaga which beautifully combines two summer staples - raffia and stripes. The Basket Classic has a roomy interior to fit your necessities and features a leather double handle and leather accents with aged gold hardware, a front zippered pocket, and a leather framed hanging mirror. Price: $1015. View our gallery of raffia and straw handbags to find your next must-have summer accessory.

From the model-patrolled runways of Milan to the chic streets of New York, Gucci is synonymous with high fashion. The Italian designer outfits opulent consumers of all stripes -- financiers, socialites and celebrities -- making it an obvious candidate for a Luxist award in the Best Clothing Designer category, in addition to a nomination for Best in Leathergoods.

Founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci in Florence, Gucci began as a luggage and leather goods store. Guccio Gucci drew on years of experience working at London's Savoy Hotel and observing the proclivities of English nobles, combining this sensibility with his own Italian fashion sense in his early work, a theme that still runs strong at Gucci today.

Though Gucci struggled to find materials as World War II raged through Europe, the scrappy founder was able to stay afloat by creating products like the "Bamboo Bag" from the resources available. The postwar years brought expansion to Milan and New York, and, sadly, the death of Guccio Gucci. His sons would take over the business and continue to guide it along the path to becoming an international fashion powerhouse, expanding to Hong Kong and Tokyo. The designer became a favorite of fashionable and legendary celebrities such as Grace Kelly and Jacqueline Onassis Kennedy.

Guccio Gucci's aesthetic persists, a lasting legacy for the founder. The company boasts talented designers like Frida Giannini, who was named sole creative director in 2006. In addition to Gucci, Gucci Group also owns Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Boucheron, Sergio Rossi, Stella McCartney and Yves Saint Laurent. It directly operates 560 stores around the world.

Cast your vote for the Readers' Choice Awards at http://www.luxist.com/awards-vote/accessories-awards.

Far be it from me to criticize designers when they get creative, try something new or push the envelope. That's fashion.

But, is it me, or are designers presenting collections in Paris this week getting downright costume-y? More than a few of them have gone from subtle references in their collections to frighteningly literal representations of sea creatures, Roman gladiators or whatever else inspires them.

Take Louis Vuitton's show yesterday. Marc Jacobs used giant Afro wigs-the kind you'd pick up on the Halloween aisle-in his presentation. Disappointingly, the Afros were the only things unifying the collection comprised of everything but the kitchen sink (Davy Crockett fur, American Indian accessories, military looks, hippie, club kid, etc.).

Alexander McQueen called his show Plato's Atlantis. With hair sculpted into reptilian fins, models walked by in oversize platformed shoes that looked like heads-scary in more ways than one (you could probably break an ankle in those things). Reptilian patterns, scales and otherworldly silhouettes brought home the idea that we all came from ancient creatures of the deep.

It was a chainsaw massacre at Viktor & Rolf. Paying homage to the economy, the duo took a chainsaw to tulle gowns, cocktail gowns and jackets. To be fair, you expect this sort of thing from these fashion pranksters. These guys have been poking fun at the industry for years (and laughing all the way to the bank).

Last week, I told you about Air Tahiti's new designer crew uniforms. While I was more concerned about mid-air wardrobe change logistics, and noted only in passing that the new togs didn't look so-very-Balenciaga to me, Jeffries Blackerby of The Moment was right on it. He reports that the outfits were designed by Balenciaga Uniforms, which is a division of a company that apparently has absolutely nothing to do with the design sensibility of Nicolas Ghesquière, Balenciaga's creative director. Blackerby advises Air Tahiti: "let's not get all excited", presumably about being associated with Balenciaga.

Now, let's take a step back. Blackberby is right to point out that Balenciaga Uniforms, which handled the design of Air Tahiti's new uniforms, is owned by a French company called Creation & Image. (Wheras the fashion house Balenciaga is owned by PPR, which also owns Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and many others.)

But licensing of a designer's name is what makes the fashion world go 'round -- should you need a little brush-up on how this works, here's a nice article from the New York Times (and of course The Moment is a New York Times' blog) concerning Vera Wang. I'll grant that some designers retain more control than seems to be the case at Balenciaga Uniform -- which is apparently absolutely none. (And that's despite the smoking gun that some commenters at The Moment think they've discovered when they point out that Nicolas Ghesquière apparently once worked in the uniform division -- an amusing, if meaningless, sidenote, absent any evidence that Ghesquière is keeping a loving and attentive eye on all the rungs of the ladder he's climbed.)

Still, I submit that Air Tahiti should get every bit as excited as it wants over its Balenciaga uniforms. If we're only going to allow purchasers to take credit for the designer items that they buy that are not made by license, the licensing business ceases to have all value, and really -- do we think our economy can take that? Leaving aside world economic well-being, for the more important fashion issue, I agree with a point that Danica Lo made over at The Haute List: Designers need to keep more control over their name.

.

$80 billion private equity firm The Carlyle Group just announced plans to acquire a 48% stake in Moncler, the French luxury sport label founded in 1952 famed for its stylish down jackets. In fact, Moncler claims credit for inventing the down-filled ski jacket, which it has supplied to French Olympic teams for the winter games since the 1960s. The jackets have become extremely fashionable and can be seen on the slopes from Aspen to Gstaad. The company has collaborated with the likes of Balenciaga, Yohji Yamamoto and Fendi. It's high-end Gamme Rouge line is designed by Italian fashionista Giambattista Valli. "Moncler is a historic sport luxury garment brand that has returned to play a relevant and prestigious role in the market," Carlyle Group managing director Marco De Benedetti said in a statement, noting plans for expanding the company globally.

Balenciaga is well known for creating avant-garde bags, their designs are always on the cutting edge of fashion and as far as quality, their extraordinary craftsmanship is unsurpassed. This chic new Balenciaga shoulder bag is so refreshing and different. I love the interesting combination of both black and tan leather. The straps are comprised of buckles, a creative twist on the usual use of hardware. Available online exclusively from matchesfashion.com for $2,400.

Lindsay Lohan entered rehab this week and sources reported that the 20 year old actress was "carrying a dark Balenciaga bag and a Jamba Juice drink." The question here is does this affect that brand name? Since Lohan isn't connected to the fashion house except as a consumer (and occasional model), what she does or does not do shouldn't have an impact on the brand, nor should what any other celebrity does. But it is well known that getting celebs to carry or wear your products can result in a sales boost. When negative press is associated with a brand name, or matter how tangentially, does that cause their sales to drop off?

In other words, if you know that a handbag, or other luxury item, is also very popular with a less-than-respectable group, does it cause you to rethink your choices when shopping?

As a trend, leggings aren't going out of style just yet. Instead, they're getting more sophisticated. Balenciaga featured this particular pair in their S/S 2007 runway collection. They look metallic, but it is more likely that they are made of some sort of metallic fabric than actual gold. Then again, they are made only at request and cost roughly $100,000 per pair, which is pretty steep for what amounts to what is little more than long underwear.

How much would you pay for a hat by designer Nic Ghesquiere of Balenciaga? After seeing it in so many editorials over the last few months, the Balenciaga riding hat was featured in the New York Times, complete with commentary. It was a relief to see that, even after all that seemingly positive photo coverage in the fashion mags, that it was accurately described as "bulbous", "alien" and even light bulb-like (in white). The NYT also mentioned that it is priced at $1,175 - steep for headgear that sort of floats above one's head.

You'll have to visit a boutique if you actually want to wear the thing.

When horizontal stripes can back in style, it was hard to tell if they were going to stick around or have only a short shelf life. They stuck around for a season or so, but as designers moved from winter and spring onto summer, they needed to do something different with the pattern. They went nautical. After all, it's not a big jump from stripes to sailors, when you consider that the traditional sailors' outfits that are played up in films and histories consist largely of navy-and-white stripes.

You can see the look in the summer/fall Balenciaga collection, which had a sailor outfit showcased in Harper's Bazaar, and in the New York Times, which wrote up a piece highlighting the nautical tattoo-inspired designs at Sailor Jerry. For something in between those two style extremes, try an outfit like this Crossback Dress by Nina Ricci. It has the blue and white sailor stripes, but wraps them around the body on a thick ribbon, instead of using the pattern on the dress itself. The white dress is made of silk and is fully lined, with flattering, flowing pleats. Price: $3,290.