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SoLace Marbled Silk & Accessories

I first met Barb Polin when the two of us were stationed next to each other at a craft fair. I was showing fine jewelry and she had these gorgeous silk scarves... I basically spent all the money I made that day selling jewelry at Ms. Polin's booth. I should have known better than to actually visit her store, where I'd find more than small accessories -- whole outfits of the most beautiful marbled silk material I'd ever seen. Goodbye, paycheck.

I may have parted with more than I could afford at the time, but it was money well spent. Years later, everything I bought from Ms. Polin's studio, SoLace, is still holding up marvelously. The silk that she uses is extremely lightweight, but also very strong and sturdy, so these clothes are really an investment.

Most of her designs are made from a marbled fabric, which she dyes herself in her studio, making every piece one of a kind. She also marbles leather for accessories like wallets, photo albums, and various types of cases. Clothing styles are available for both men and women, and Ms. Polin has been known to take custom orders. You can browse and buy on the SoLace website, or catch her at a craft fair or in her studio in Elkton, Virginia, where you'll find an even better selection than what you see on her website.

$20,000 Office Style: The Bottega Veneta Leather Desk


I spend a lot of my day sitting at a desk so I'm always interested in seeing the latest in unique and interesting desk designs. This leather desk from Bottega Veneta is a little dark for my taste but it's also sleek and masculine, with a minimalist vibe. It's available in five different colors and features leather handles on both the drawers (there are three along the front) and on each side of the desk itself (makes it look a little like Transformer luggage to me), plus all the corners are accented with protective matte metal trim. Very chic. $19,700

Via Bornrich

Men's Exotic Skin Items, From Luxury Accessories Intl.

New York City-based Luxury Accessories International (LAI) began as a leather importer in New York in 1953, importing crocodile skins from South America and selling them to makers of shoes, handbags, and other leather goods. In 1971 the company expanded the range of skins to include python from Indonesia, ostrich from South Africa, and lizard from South America. Today, the company makes a variety of high-end products for men and women, but I'm going to focus on the men. Where to begin? Belts, bags, a flask, a watch box, portfolios, wallets ... all custom dyed all over the world and made with skins selected by hand for cutting at the LAI manufacturing house in Long Island City, N.Y. Orders are individually cut and sewn, and often customized, but the LAI boutique at 35 E. 65th St., NYC, offers custom pieces.

You know something's expensive when every piece on the Web site is followed by: "To purchase, please contact the LAI Boutique: 212-794-3874." So I can't help you with pricing, but if you see something you like, give LAI a ring. See the gallery for a few of the beautiful pieces.

Gallery: Luxury Accessories for Men

Classic Ostritch beltsPassport caseNew ToteNubuck BifoldTribeca belts


American Leather Home Theater Furniture

In mid-July, we highlighted the Epson Ensemble HD Home Cinema System. Now we found great seats to furnish your home theater, from American Leather. Offered in five styles, several colors and with either a powered or manual incliner, the Holden seat, for example, shown in the photo, features extra-tall back cushions; premium, high-density, high-resiliency foam; loose back and seat cushions; double-jowled joints; hardwood frames; double-needle top stitching; and a lifetime warranty. Options include stainless steel cup holders; black, natural or walnut legs; and a manual incliner without articulating headrest. Prices vary; find a dealer near you, and check out the gallery for the variety of styles.

Gallery: American Leather Home Theater Furniture

Poacher Picnic Bag Set by Dunhill

Think "luxury picnic set" and what kinds of things come to mind? A buffed buffalo leather picnic bag? Sure. Napkins, plates, and cutlery? Of course. A game of Twister complete with big inflatable dice? Why not!

It's the Poacher Picnic Bag Set by Dunhill and it totally comes with all those things, although the Twister game is what makes this set so unique and fun (literally!). The great part, though, is that when you're not in the mood (or seriously trying to be comfortable and eat) the game is printed on a wool blanket that can be reversed for a much more classic picnic vibe. $1385

Via ForbesLIfe

Mardaga Belt Buckles


Generally there's only so much inventiveness that goes into a belt buckle and what makes a belt special is the detail on the buckle. The L'A Mardaga belt buckle has that but Albert Mardaga has reinvented the belt buckle using a mechanism similar to the opening of a shotgun action. The belt buckle breaks open just like the hinge of a double-barrel shotgun does at the place where you load the bullets and a lever moves left or right to unlock the hinge. The belt buckle has the same basic style. And how's this for a cool feature, instead of having to unbuckle your belt after taking in a heavy meal, a quick press on the button in the doll's-head extension on the end of the barrels allows the belt to lengthen.

The first Mardaga belts sold at auction at Bonham's London in 2004 for prices ranging from £1,912 to £2,400. One of the first belts sold to the Royal Armouries Museum. Each belt is custom made. There is a choice of six leathers; elephant, alligator, ostrich, crocodile, lizard and buffalo; seven engraving styles and six styles of the oak and leather box.

[via Watch of the Week]

Gallery: Mardaga Buckles

Tissue Pochette, Elegant Style or Tacky Overkill?


Even if you're always done up to the teeth there's always room for more style -- even if it's just in the way you carry your kleenex. Tissue Pochettes by Victore NYC hope that's the case anyway. They're tissue-sized leather pouches available in gold ("God Bless You") and silver ("Ah-choo Silver").

Interesting idea, and it is a classic and simple design (although I'm not crazy about metallics), but I can't help but think that for something so simple as tissues it might be more stylish not to have a special case? Seems a little like overkill. But to each their own! Having one would definitely feel like luxury, if not look it. From the description: "May all your tears be tears of joy." $45

Gallery: Tissue Pochettes

Tissue PochetteTissue PochetteTissue Pochette

Leather Wine Presentation Case


Tis soon to be the season of gift-giving, which means many the wine bottle will be exchanged for everything from an offering to the host of a dinner party to an all-out Christmas gift to a wine connoisseur. And even if it's just a gift for yourself, maybe as a way to help deflect some of the holiday stresses we're all so familiar with, this Leather Wine Presentation Case from Royce Leather is both a handy and stylish way to indulge.

It's lined with suede, well padded, and features an attractive zip-around design. Available in 3 colors (black, coco, and tan) there's also a two-bottle size available for twice the toting pleasure. $72


Via Lussorian

Brontibay Paris Leather Tutu Tote, Handbag of the Day

Sometimes it can be difficult to find the right oversized bag. Foremost, you don't want to feel as though you are carrying a small duffle bag, yet, you want your bag to have some sort of WOW factor to compliment and have an impact on your outfit. It can be a hard balance to find. The Brontibay Paris Tutu Tote may be more minimal in design then some may want, but just think of it's long lasting appeal. The drwastring strps loop through the outline of the bag making for a subtle and tasteful There's more than enough space to carry your items and the interior features zippered pockets and two patch pockets. Bag dimensions: 12"H x 14"L x 9"D. Also available in Moka Leather, or in tweed or nylon. Price: $503.

Lenovo Think Pad Reserve


Ready to feel old, the venerable Think Pad computer is 15. Our friends at Engadget reported this earlier this summer (check out their fancy gallery of pics) but the popular computer is coming out in a swanky reserve edition that is wrapped in leather and looks a bit like a portfolio. The computer has a Centrino Pro Core 2 Duo L7500 processor, WWAN, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB HDD a 12.1-inch screen and a seven-hour battery. Each one is numbered and the maker of the Think Pad, Lenovo, will emboss the owner's name on the leather cover. To compensate for the heat of the leather, the engineers created a system to release heat through the sides. The leather also adds a bit of heft. The detail that really gets me about this one is the little antenna that pops up to help improve access to wi-fi networks. The reserve edition sells for $5,000.

Chopard Happy Fish Bag, Handbag of the Day


Chopard may be better known for timepieces and jewelry, but their collection of accessories does include a few lovely handbags and wallets. This is the Happy Fish Bag, made from grained calf leather and cotton canvas. Compared to other bags in this price range, this one seems rather lightweight and skimpy on the leather, but it does have the cute factor. The bag features little fish cut-outs as well as metal and resin fish hardware. With a simple flap closure, the bag might be rather spare, but it is definitely unique. $520.

Tumi Oasis Gathered Tote, Handbag of the Day


With a western saddle bag vibe, this tote is roomy and looks oh-so comfortable. With adjustable, rolled-leather shoulder straps and pockets galore, this bag is perfect for every-day running around. About those pockets - this bag sports exterior magnetic flap pockets on either side, a hidden exterior zip pocket and interior flap, zip and cell-phone pockets. With the inclusion of protective metal feet, this bag has everything you need and good looks, too. Also available in black, brandy and truffle. $450.

Ferrari Luggage by Schedoni


Sports cars and traveling with luggage don't usually go together, and for good reason. It's a hassle (if not impossible) to fit any kind of baggage into most cars that are designed for performance and style at the expense of storage. But that's not an issue for Ferrari owners, and hasn't been since 1977 when Schedoni became the official supplier of made-to-measure leather luggage for Ferrari. The history of how the fitted luggage sets came to be for Ferrari by the Schedoni family is a long one, dating all the way back to 1880 and filled with family tradition.

Oh the perks of being a Ferrari owner!

Leatherock Jeweled Shoulder Bag, Handbag of the Day


I like everything about this bag. From the bronze metallic leather to the Swarovski crystal detail on the funky ornament, it's all good. A sprinkling of antique brass studs and chain insets on the shoulder straps provide the finishing touches on this casual but chic shoulder bag. Inside, the bag has zip and cell phone pockets. I can't think of a good reason make a bag without a lining, but this one is unlined. I still want it. $495.

Prada 'Animalier' Dragon Belt


My personal taste in belts leans towards simple and classic, but some prefer edgy conversation starters and have a thing for dragons. This 'Animalier' dragon belt by Prada is just the thing if you're one of the latter, depicting a dragon and snake battling it out in goldtone on black croc printed leather. It's made in Italy and the belt is 1 1/2" wide with a hooked pin closure, and the buckle itself measures 3 3/4" by 2 1/4". $436

Way too gaudy for me, but then I've seen people pull off stranger accessories with the right outfit and attitude -- more power to 'em!

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