Handbag designer Clare Vivier had lots to celebrate last night: lovely fall weather, the rebranding of her company to the breezily shortened "Clare V," and the opening of her East Coast boutique in stylish Nolita. Clare's designs have always been a fashion girl's favorite—you know that zippered clutch you've spotted the editors carrying around town? Most likely it's Clare's classic flat clutch.
Friend and actress Mamie Gummer with Clare Vivier, carrying her Gosee clutch
The adorably cozy new Clare V. boutique offers abundance of plush handbag styles and roomy sizes in addition to the signature clutches, plus a handpicked selection of jewelry, hats, and books. Bonus: in-store monogramming for your leather goods purchase. It's like a cozy, handbag utopia in there. And I, for one, have been eyeing her plush leather duffel for ages, but could never decide between the grand or the petit (and don't get me started on what color combination), so last night's visit to the store opening was a timely one. I got to see the goods up close and in person (navy pony hair petit, I'm coming for you... ), plus chat with the designer about fall handbag trends and learn the expertly chic way to pack a work bag.
Glamour: What handbag trends are you seeing this fall?
CV: I think hair-on-calf is doing extremely well, and people are loving prints, which I think is great. I think there's this general trend of mixing patterns and being a little bit more adventurous with what we're wearing, and your handbag can not match what you're wearing—and it's OK!
You have so many beautiful roomy styles, which is great for women who want a good bag to carry into work. What's your trick to packing the perfect bag for the office?
CV: My collection was founded on the belief that we're all like chic working girls and we need fabulous things to carry to work and then go out at night. So a Messenger bag, the Trapezienne, the Madeleine tote—all these totes are meant to carry the clutches inside and separate our life. So you could put your makeup, you could put your technology things, you could put other things. And then at night when you're going to just take out a clutch.
Glamour: Which bags do you like to carry?
CV: I get stuck on bags, so right now I'm stuck on the Gosee clutch. And you can take off the strap or you can leave it on. I always carry my grand duffel, which is the larger-size duffel, because it fits my MacBook Air perfectly and I travel so much. And just to go to work every day, I put a bunch of clutches in with different things.
Glamour: For women who tend to carry a handbag on one shoulder and maybe a canvas bag on the other, etc.—how would you suggest streamlining a handbag wardrobe?
CV: I'm biased and I think our clutches are perfect for that. So I think carrying multiple clutches inside your bag and separating your life that way is perfect. That's our ethos of the company.
Here's a tempting shot of the new Clare V. boutique and bags, so many, bags (including that navy one):
Are you thinking of following Clare's work bag packing advice? How do you pack your work bag? And, most important, which bag is your favorite?!
