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subscribe to style file blog via RSSthe camo diaper tote and other secrets of a handbag designer
September 24, 2008 4:19 pm
As many an officebody will attest, browsing for handbags is a pleasant way to spend a lunch hour. So why not do it for charity? That was the opportunity at Tuesday’s Third Annual Purses and Pursenalities luncheon given by the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club. The first hour of the fête found Olivia Chantecaille, Yaz Hernández, and Tory Burch among the potential bidders scanning the bags up for silent auction this year—with brands from BCBG to Oscar de la Renta represented in the slate. The second hour was devoted to the bagging of prizes: This year’s honorees were Badgley Mischka, Monica Botkier, and Judith Leiber, who was presented with the Living Legend Award. Leiber’s sister had come to the Metropolitan Club in midtown to cheer her on, and Botkier, too, had brought along a member of the family—in a manner of speaking. The designer is seven months pregnant with her second child, which raised the question: Does pregnancy change one’s pursenality? “I don’t think so,” Botkier said. “I mean, you’re definitely very attuned to comfort, but otherwise, you shouldn’t have to compromise your sense of style just because you’re having a kid.” Or because you have one. “The diaper bag,” the designer sighed, “is just a worst-of-all-worlds product. I wound up buying a man’s diaper bag, in a camo print, and then hooking that and my regular bag on the back of the stroller.” Not only did the camo diaper bag look cooler than any of the femme versions Botkier saw, she explained, but its gender-neutrality presented other advantages. “My husband doesn’t have any excuses.” Next year: Murses and Mursenalites? Er, unlikely. But we can always hope.
tags: Badgley Mischka, Judith Leiber, Monica Botkier
