Charles & Marie

Melanie Dizon‘s line of purses was created for those discerning women who want more than just a ‘given season’s must-have accessory.’ A native Californian now living in New York, Dizon’s soft-sculpted bags are made using only the finest materials like supple leathers and touch-inviting suede. A beautiful attention to detail is clear in her Seraphim bag (included in the ’05 collection0, which is fully lined in ultra-suede and features Karong snake French tipping and a metallic leather-covered chain strap. We’ve got our eyes out for Dizon’s shoe collection, which debuts this season, and imagine it will be just as covetable and eye catching as her bags.

The Mini-Wishbone Level earrings designed by LeeAnn Herreid are a finely crafted balance of function and design. The Massachusetts-born designer found her passion for metalwork at the young age of 14 and went on to recieve a BFA in Jewelry & Light Metals at Rhode Island School of Design in 1991. The result of this passion is a series of Individual Icons combining clean sterling silver design and irresistible necessities for travelers and the easily lost alike . . . from compasses and levels to thermometers and metal rulers, you can be sure never to lose your way. She also makes custom work and one-of-a-kind pieces out of stainless steel, 18-karat gold, and platinum. Take a look at her gallery for some unique custom work.

Camper takes a star role in “Milan at Carmen’s Feet,” an exhibit being held in Milan, by participating with a unique pair of boots inspired by the legendary opera, Bizet’s Carmen.

The exhibit, which is slated to travel to major cities worldwide through 2008, was inaugurated in Teatro Piccolo on September 22nd with the presence of the Prince and Princess of Asturias, heirs to the Spanish throne. Camper, together with a select group of Spanish brands, recreated the theme of Carmen and rendered tribute to the opera, presenting an eclectic collection of shoes in art.

Camper’s design is based on the love triangle between Carmen, Don José, and Escamillo, a triangle comes to life on a pair of Twins in which each shoe is different yet together forms an inseparable and perfect pair. The design represents Carmen, the triangle, and the red rose, symbols from Carmen that have enticed audiences for decades.

Charles and Marie meet Russel and Hazel. They make the prettiest rubber bands you could ever shoot out of a rubber-band gun, use to put up your hair, launch pens at co-workers, or for the more conservative– hold things together. Classy enough to get away with as a minimalist gift wrap, the rubber bands are available in three color sets, with three more sets coming this month. Check them out for some other nice office products, but the rubber bands are really quite delectable.

Here’s a new take on decision dice. They are making us think back, way back, to when we were in high school and ‘spin the bottle’ was the name of the game. Well, maybe the guys from Garrard want to tell us something with their sterling silver decision dice all spiced up. Not quite sure what exactly, but why don’t we bring them to this coming Saturday’s party and see what will happen? Marie has added them as a permanent take-along to her purse . . . heeheehee.

We have all seen Paris’s blinged out Sidekick, but what good is a blinged out phone, if you don’t have the appropriate carrying case? Well, in comes Foolsgold to save the day. Located in Düsseldorf, Germany, the company loves to play with symbols and objects from various cultures and ‘worlds,’ whether existing or gone, and reinterprets elements from them in unique and sometimes controversial ways. As with everything in their collection, this amazingly cute call-bag is hand-made in their studio, and features 92% silver chain mail studded with hand-carved mother of pearl charms and fresh water pearls. Obviously you could use it for all different occasions, but the cell is just such a perfect fit…

Oh how we love it… Maison de vacances is usually a superb resource for beautiful fabrics, pillows and the like, but they have just launched a new series of bags. And they are true stunners! Choose from one of 3 colors and 2 sizes and get ready to be noticed. You might want to reconsider throwing them on in the rain though…

Bright rhodamine red and subtle avocado green is certainly not a color combination you would think of as an ideal pearing. Potentially, it is a combination, you wouldn’t consider at all. But exactly that combination turns Kyoko Honda‘s gorgeous handcrafted earrings into wonderful masterpieces. Her work is distinctive for it’s high quality gems, unique arrangements, meticulous craft and extremely sophisticated color relationships. Based in New York, she specializes in handcrafted works with precious and semi precious stones. But I’m sure you all know that and are only waiting for the next opportunity to present them in public..

How ’bout a very straightforward mission statement: Our mission is to make life a little sexier… Who says that? JimmyJane – the company who wants to infuse design & luxury with sex, to bring beauty to a neglected product category. Started by Ethan Imboden – an award winning designer – who was soon joined by Sarah Marchick, Kassie Benham, and Melissa Ouellette, JimmyJane brings us a wonderful collection of beautiful and elegant toys, like this gold plated vibrator. Looking more like a cigar tube from Asprey, JJ clearly favors quality and simplicity over scary sculptural form and interestingly boasts a water resistance ‘to a depth of 10 times the average bathtub’. So why choose plastic if you can have gold?