Stylish Satchels

California accessories designers—or designers with a California connection—are offering a range of handbag styles using luxurious materials and custom hardware that are retail priced from $300 to $800. The following offers a glimpse of the upcoming Holiday and Spring 2008 offerings from a select group of independent designers. —Dena Smolek

Give Accessories

Designer Christine Valenti launched Give Accessories as a cosmetic-bag company in 2003. She eventually released a weekender bag and launched the full handbag collection for Spring 2007. After a stint in New York, Valenti has returned to San Francisco, setting up a studio in the city’s historic Jackson Square district. “Spring ’08 is the first collection that I designed from the new studio in Jackson Square,” said Valenti. “I was really influenced by the architecture in the area. The Spring 2008 Collection will feature great hardware and interesting architectural elements. By that I mean taking what is necessary in the bag, like the handles or straps, and making them a design element.”

New styles for Holiday and Spring include metallic versions of the best-selling large “Clutch Wallet” in bronze, silver or gold and the “Grace Pochette” in gray and black. Hardware is sourced from Italy and Japan, leather comes from Italy, and the bags are currently produced in New York. Top retailers for the line include Bergdorf Goodman, Henri Bendel and Intermix. Wholesale prices range from $23 for small pouches to $380 for the large lambskin duffle. www.shopgive.com

Treesje

Los Angeles designers Laura Darrah and Sheila Nazarian described the target customer for their Treesje line of handbags as a “sexy sophisticate, age 25 to 55, with a feminine but chic sense of style.” Exhibiting a flair for eye-catching details, the designers offer a range of silhouettes from clutches to oversize totes. Treesje bags are produced in the United States and China with leather and hardware sourced from Italy. Wholesale prices range from $130 to $310. In the works for Spring 2008: an oversize bag with layered ruffles and covered hardware as a closure element, an oversize soft leather bag with bow details, intricate external pockets integrating unique hardware closures, and quilted and gathered leather. www.treesje.com

Roxbury

Los Angeles–based Roxbury (a sister company of the Nicole Lee Collection) was established in 2006. The in-house design team targets women “looking for a high-end handbag with a runway look yet practical enough for everyday life.” The company launched a unisex line called Roxefella for Fall 2007. For Spring 2008, Roxbury is working with stripes and floral prints on grained lambskin, patent and canvas. The Spring palette also includes bright and pastel hues––including aqua, lemon and organza–– as well as black, brown and plum. Wholesale prices range from $100 to $189. www.roxburybag.com

Rebecca Minkoff

New York–based designer Rebecca Minkoff has SoCal roots, and her Cali connection will extend to her business starting in November with the addition of a Los Angeles production facility for her Rebecca Minkoff handbag collection. For Resort, wholesale prices range from $135 for clutch styles to $295 for larger bags. A follow-up to Minkoff’s cult-favorite “Morning After Bag,” the “Matinee” bag was a top seller for Fall 2007. The new “No Strings Satchel” (a larger version of the “No Strings Clutch,” with more room and two straps) has also been well received. Minkoff is debuting a “Luxe” collection, which includes the “Morning After Bag,” “Morning After Bag Mini” and the “Kiss & Make Up Bag” in mirror gold and mirror silver, with exclusive hardware designed by Tina Tang and dipped in gold or silver. “This Spring, expect exclusive hardware, colorful snaps and pops of bright color,” said Minkoff. www.rebeccaminkoff.com

HochmanFuller

Amy Hochman and Alex Fuller’s handbag line, HochmanFuller, is based in Los Angeles, and the current collection of clutches, pouches and envelope styles targets the evening category. For Spring 2008, new styles will feature extra-large crocodile embossed leathers in white and frosted pastel metallic, as well as glazed fish skins and patent leathers. “We are covering the range with some more structured bags for toting around town, large clutches and a toy bag for evening,” the designers explained. “We are also excited about the introduction of our new shoe line.” Wholesale prices range from $100 to $200. The company Web site (www.hochman-fuller.com) will launch soon.

Kudra Studios

Los Angeles designer Amy Di LaMarra specializes in sophisticated luxury bags and belts for her collection, Kudra Studios. New handbag styles for Holiday include an oversize unstructured hobo (an update on the sac tote) and a zippered clutch with a patchwork sunburst pattern. New styles for Spring 2008 include a softly structured drawstring bucket tote offered in sand, pale sky blue, pale gray and a brighter color to be determined. The popular “Pleated Hobo” from 2005 will be reworked for Spring 2008 with a vintage-like cast-metal keyhole closure. A smaller square baguette-style purse and a clutch will also utilize this keyhole closure element. Using mostly Italian and South American leather, the bags are produced in Los Angeles. Wholesale prices range from $75 for clutches to $155. www.kudrastudios.com

LuLA by Angelica Cota

Designer Angelica Cota is completely focused on totes, satchels and other pieces for her upcoming LuLA Spring 2008 collection. Simple shapes, subtle details and rich colors yield a youthful collection of Italian leather carryalls. For Holiday, Costa is bringing textured metallics in gunmetal and gold python-embossed lambskin to the line. The “Trot” bag, a new addition to the line for Spring 2008, maintains LuLA’s signature clean shape with overlay trim. Wholesale prices range from $50 to $295. www.angelicacota.com

LD Tuttle

SoCal designer Tiffany Tuttle launched a capsule collection of three small handbags in Fall ’07 to complement her innovative shoe line, LD Tuttle. With a utilitarian edge, the bags are subtle with beautiful details. Tuttle sources the handbag materials from Italy, and the bags are made in Los Angeles. The bags are sold at ShopBop.com, Creatures of Comfort in Los Angeles and American Rag Japan.

For Spring 2008, Tuttle is introducing three new styles: a larger “Everyday” bag (an oversize version of the mini pouch); a “Fanny” pack, constructed to sit comfortably over the shoulder like a small hobo bag; and a sleek clutch that rolls up like a brown lunch bag. “The contrast of materials and textures is an important element of the shoes, and I have extended it into the bags by layering crocodile, lizard, washed and metallic lambskin, nylon mesh, and bubbled metallics,” said Tuttle. www.ldtuttle.com