Lulu Guinness Handbags — 50s-style Iconic Purses
Today’s Novelty Handbags – Tomorrow’s Collectables
Nov 13, 2008
Lulu Guinness is known as the queen of the novelty bag. From houses to florist baskets, red hot lips to fan-shaped clutches. Designs ranges from the unique to the positively bizarre and whose retail outlets stretch from London, New York and Paris to Istanbul, Dubai and Tokyo.
Millers Handbags Collectors Guide (2001) refers to them as “tomorrow’s must-have collectables” and examples of her bags can be found in fashion museums around the world.
Famous Clients
These iconic '50s-style bags have now become a "must" in every fashion aficionado's international address book. Customers include a long list of famous clients including Madonna, Jerry Hall, Katie Couric, Keira Knightly, Debra Messing, Rachel Weisz, and Dame Judy Dench. Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, wife of England’s Prince Charles carried a limited edition, Union Jack-sequined Flag Felicity Purse on a 2005 visit New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
In the heady world of handbag design Lulu Guinness could be considered somewhat of a maverick. Tired of the many look-alike, high status handbags of the time, in 1989 former model, Lulu, decided to turn her attention to novelty purses.
Who is Lulu Guinness?
Just like another popular British designer Anya Hindmarsh, Lulu always wanted to create her own handbags. Apart from a 1-year foundation course at art school, she never had any formal training. Yet in October 2006 Lulu Guinness was awarded an OBE, (Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II, for her contribution to British fashion.
Lulu’s passion for purses — fashion and design, led her to start a business from the basement of her West London house. By 1996 her shop in London’s famous Notting Hill was attracting famous customers such as Madonna and Jerry Hall. The business grew and soon sales of her witty handbags expanded to more elite addresses such as London’s Sloane Street and New York’s West Village and West Hollywood.
Lulu quickly developed her own signature style. According to Stephanie Pendersen in her book Handbags, What Every Woman Should Know, (David and Charles 2006), “there was a certain allure to Lulu’s irreverence and witty retro chic."
Lulu Guinness Bags – Tomorrow’s Treasures
Novelty bags are shaped like unexpected things from everyday life. These include houses, shops, theaters, florist baskets, fans and baskets of chocolates. Later designs include wacky lips, shoes and corsets and dogs. Poodle-themes purses also feature heavily in her designs.
Lulu Guinness bags are part of a permanent collection at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. They have also been the subject of two major exhibitions in Sotheby’s London and New York , which have included two of her most famous designs – the Florist Basket and the Violet Hanging Basket.
Lulu Guinness Bags 2008-2009
Her novelty collectables include day bags, evening bags, totes, clutches, coin purses and vanity cases.
The Lulu Guinness large Jenny Handbag Red Quilted Lips (£195) is proving a best seller for Autumn Winter 2008 at online stockist Handbags and Gladrags (worldwide delivery) which as well as featuring her new Resort collection, include classics such as the Lulu Guinness Couture Stripe Florist Basket (£425) and signature Lips Silver Clutch (£195). The latest Resort collection includes a Jenny Poodle Parlor Bag and a black Snakeskin Lips Clutch (£225), along with some gorgeous party purses that are perfect for the holiday season.
Also check out the Lulu Guinness range of cosmetic bags and vanity cases, which make an ideal gifts.
Images courtesy of Handbags and Gladrags
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