What do you get when you combine the laid-back West Coast aesthetic of two hip Los Angeles stylists with the legacy of a brand once coveted by the suburban mom set?
"A chic, glamorous statement done in a different way," said Brooke Jaffe, fashion director for women's accessories, shoes and handbags at Bloomingdale's.
The unexpected pairing she's talking about is a new collection of handbags from Kate Spade: Westward With Emily Current and Meritt Elliott.
The six items in the collection, priced from $245 (the Traveler wallet) to $1,295 at Bloomingdale's, include several silhouettes, details such as cross-body straps, and fabrications ranging from sequins to ostrich embossed leather that are right in sync with fall handbag trends.
Current and Elliott chatted with Style about their latest venture in advance of an appearance Aug. 25 at Bloomingdale's Lenox Square. Well-known for their eponymous line of high-end denim founded in 2008, the stylist friends said they were excited to branch into a new area of design.
"We didn't set out just wanting to do denim or one category. We have always said yes to lots of things," Current said. "We are suckers for accessories. We probably buy more shoes and bags than anything else."
The designers, who met as sociology students at UCLA and began working together soon after graduation, set out to create a line of bags that didn't exist in the market.
"We are constantly traveling and on the move," Elliott said. "We dreamed about bags that could take us to the airport or on overnight trips and of the perfect clutch you can throw in a bag and later take on to dinner."
Inspired by cross-country and international travel, they worked with Kate Spade designers to meld their two points of view -- something at which the two stylists were already adept, given their personal styles.
Current is short, blond and petite, while Elliott is tall, lanky and brunette. They have distinct styles, Current said, but always seem to gravitate toward similar items. In that vein, the bags in the Westward collection are different, she said, but intended for the same adventure-loving woman.
The Ingenue clutch ($545), over which Current is obsessing, features a hidden cross-body strap the wearer can use when she needs her hands free. The over-sized Runaway bag ($1,295) is covered in sequins, taking a travel duffel from standard to standout.
Elliott is partial to the Wanderlust satchel ($795), one of three satchels in the collection, which she intends to carry during Fashion Week while jetting from show to show. Most styles are available in multiple fabrications.
This fall, handbag trends include luxurious materials (faux or real) and pops of color such as teal, purple and bordeaux, Jaffe said. The two primary styles that emerged from the runways are structured bags with shoulder straps or hand-held bags with an optional shoulder strap, Jaffe said.
Current and Elliott bring the cool factor to refined structured bags, Jaffe added, in a collection sure to have broad appeal.
"The Kate Spade girl has a sense of humor and is not defined by age," Jaffe said. "The Current Elliott customer has been a more contemporary, cool girl. When you bring the two together ... it is genius."
Event preview
Meet designers Emily Current and Meritt Elliott. 5-8 p.m. Aug. 25. Free. Bloomingdale's Lenox Square, New View on 2, 3393 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta. RSVP at 404-495-2956.
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