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Botkier: Fall 2008 Bags, the Designer
I absolutely love this new Botkier Chrystie multi metallic leather hobo. In addition to the so popular this season North-South design and metallic shades, the bag’s two separate compartments have unusual “mirror-with-a-twist” openings, the feature that? makes this? bag even more special and unique signature piece.
There is also a smaller version of the Chrystie bag, a small shoulder bag.
The designer of? these wonderful pieces of art is Monica Botkier, a New York native, born in Brooklyn. Her career in the fashion industry began as? a freelance photographer for such high-profile employers as? Seventeen, Surface and Fitness magazines.
Designer Monica Botkier (above)
???I fell into bag design quite by accident. I was doing fashion photography at the time, and I had always been into photography, taking pictures as a kid and then majored in it in college. I was shooting a lot of great bags and this was during the early part of handbag craze.
I remember seeing the YSL Mombasa bag on a shoot and I fell in love with it. I bought one and then later on I purchased one or two other designer handbags, but found that they didn??™t always suit my lifestyle and wanted to be able to afford more bags with that same designer style and quality. So, I decided that I would design my own bag. I sketched out the bag, and used leather skins that I had leftover from having photo portfolios made. So I took this to a woman in NYC and she made it for me, but I had to source all the hardware.
This bag went with me to my photo shoots and the models and editors were really interested so I started taking orders. So then I started taking orders for bags from a lot of the girls in the Conde Nast building. And then I showed it to Barney??™s and then they picked it up. Things happened really fast, it was in April of 2003 that I made my own bag and then by July and August of that year I was in Barneys!???
Immediately there was a strong response to the Botkier Trigger Bag. Friends and family encouraged her to ???spread the wealth??? and make the bag available for the general public to enjoy.
Botkier Trigger Bag (above)
Drawing her inspiration from the fast paced and on the go lifestyle of New York women, Monica Botkier launched the first Botkier collection in 2003.? A unique use of color and design technique, coupled with superior materials, made the Botkier Collection an instant hit that continued to grow and expand long after its unveiling.
Each bag has story. That is Monica Botkier??™s goal- to produce bags that complement individual style while possessing durability and long-lasting quality. As the wearer becomes older, the bag becomes timeless and an indispensable asset to the wearer??™s wardrobe. Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker and Lindsay Lohan already know that quite well.
You are absolutely right about Botkier’s growing popularity. They are all unique and celebrities love them. The diagonal snake pattern is totally fab and also comes in bronze and gold. I personally love the crackled bronze better.