In opposite to the easy and free spring collection, Marc Jacobs 2009 Fall Bag Collection presents glare and vitality which is perfect to dispel the gloomy and depressing sentiment haunting us for years.

Long before Jacobs was appointed as Creative Director of Louis Vuitton in 1997, he has been managing to embed joy and sex appeal deep inside his designs rather than emit ostentatiously. The 2009 Fall Bag Collection is no exception to the idea. We may be easily impressed by the bold and innovated conceptions exuded from each piece-multiple layers, shiny hardware, fearless combination of colors and materials. But the whole collection still inherits the sedateness and elegancy. For those who want to be memorable but unwilling to be on the spotlight, this bag collection is a perfect choice.

This single chain strap bag is my favorite among Marc Jacobs 2009 Fall Bag Collection. With a size of 15” x 11” x 5.5”,it is chit yet practical. The deep blue color studded with tiny golden button is just like the sky of urban night. As they say, there always be a glimmer of hope held on our hands.

The Chinese market shows remarkable resilience in the financial crisis because it has an increasing number of people able and willing to buy luxury goods, says Guo.

“Unlike the mature traditional markets, demand in China is far from saturated either materially or psychologically.”

The high-end market, which was once believed to be immune from economic downturn, has seen weakening sales growth or even declines in the traditional markets of the United States, Europe and Japan, analysts say.

A study by the Bain & Company consultants in October predicted global luxury goods sales growth would slow sharply to 3 percent to hit 175 billion euros (220 billion dollars) in 2008. The slower growth rate stood in sharp contrast with 6.5 percent in 2007 and 9percent growth in 2006.

The study also forecast the luxury sector would face its first recession in six years in 2009, with sales declining by up to 7 percent.

A report from Deutsche Bank says the market will contract 5 to 10 percent in 2009.

However, experts say the Chinese luxury goods market remains resilient.

An estimated 415,000 Chinese had more than 1 million U.S. dollars in disposable assets in 2007, more than any other country, according to the Merrill-Lynch Asia-Pacific Wealth Report released in September.

“The spending power in China is spectacular”, says Daisy Moon, assistant PR manager of Tiffany & Co. China, which achieved its sales targets last year and seems little affected by the financial crisis.

A Gucci spokesman said in an e-mail to Xinhua that China represented one of the most dynamic areas of retail growth for the firm, with 2008 sales growth in the mainland at 42 percent. The global profit for the company edged up 0.2 percent from a year ago.

Gucci had 25 stores in 17 Chinese cities as of January, when it opened three new stores. It is looking to open its Shanghai flagship store in May.

LVMH claims business profit was up 2.1 percent from a year earlier to 3.63 billion euros in 2008, but sales in the United States fell 4.03 percent and in Japan 5.16 percent last year. However, the group stressed in its annual report that performance in China was “solid” and strong.

Cartier, the French jeweler and watchmaker, is planning more stores in first and second-tier Chinese cities after posting double-digit growth in 2008.

Yan Jun, managing director of Beijing-based Ecole Fashion & Luxury Consulting Ltd., says the expanding middle class constitutes an important group of consumers who desire and can afford luxury goods.

“Aged between 25 and 40 and living in developed regions, they are fashionable, mature, and passionate about lifestyle and quality,” he says.

Up to 170 million people, or 13 percent of the population, can afford luxury brands and the number will reach 250 million next year, according to the China Association of Branding Strategy.

The government aims to build “a well-off society” by 2020, with per capita GDP of 3,000 U.S. dollars. Developed regions, such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Suzhou and Wenzhou, with a total population of more than 300 million, will see per capita GDP exceed 15,000 U.S. dollars.

Bain & Company predicted the Chinese luxury market would see growth of 20 to 35 percent in the next five years. The Ministry of Commerce says China will become the world’s largest luxury market by 2014, accounting for 23 percent of global business.

“It is almost certain that China has surpassed the United States to become the second largest luxury market after Japan. There is still a lot of room for development,” says Yan Jun.

He believes the huge potential will definitely attract more brands.

“I am going to Italy to give a lecture about luxury management in China this June. I have been told a lot of executives of luxury companies will attend and they are eager to know more about the Chinese market and how to enter the market,” says Yan.

“The Chinese market is so desirable that international luxury companies are speeding up their quest for a share.”

In honor of the legendary artist and fashion designer, a book on the career of Stephen Sprouse “The Stephen Sprouse Book” by Roger Padiha and Mauricio Padilha was released by Rizzoli on January 13, 2009.

With an exclusive Louis Vuitton cover, the Stephen Sprouse Book is a fascinating monograph on the influential New York who collaborated with Marc Jacobs on the iconic 2001 graffiti collection. Stephen Sprouse was a fashion designer and artist who pioneered the mix of uptown sophistication in clothing with a downtown punk and pop sensibility. This book includes many never before seen works of art, photographs, sketches from photographers such as Steven Meisel, Bob Gruen, Mert and Marcus and interviews with many of Stephen’s colleagues, friends and family and pay tribute to his extraordinary career. This book is available with four different jackets, each featuring a different Day-Glo color, serving as homage to Sprouse’s iconic album cover fro Debbie Harry’s Rockbird.

The book has earned a great reputation in the fashion world. ELLE said, “…gets the star treatment in Rizzol’s upcoming The Stephen Sprouse Book, providing unfettered access to his work and wild life. ” Nylon praised it as a collectible work of art. Find a Louis Vuitton Product on sale 

Launched in spring season this year, the Coach Bonnie collection is a great line that caught my eyes, consisting of 14 designs of totes, framed bags, scarves and apparel.

This collection is designed to commemorate its legendary fashion designer Bonnie Cashin. Coach’s president and executive creative director Reed Krakoff once said,” Bonnie Cashin left an indelible imprint on fashion during her time with Coach. With the Bonnie collection, I wanted to fuse some her archived vintage designs with our well-known modern aesthetic. The result is a playful reinterpretation of her iconic imagery and unparalleled talent for our latest spring collection.”

This collection features candy colors and a myriad of shapes. It is a perfect combination of Bonnie’s vintage styles with Coach’s modern aesthetic. It takes advantage of the classic brass twist-lock closure, and adds several of materials, such as leather, woven cane and paulin. The cute and lovely illustrations of this collection are the most attractive element exemplifying the essence of spring. Coach Bonnie is such a wonderful accessory for those who want to add vigorous element to their appearance. Delicate illustrations with bright colors weave the dream of girls.

WWD confirms the comeback of the Stephen Sprouse’s Graffiti Collection along with another Sprouse creation, the Rose as Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton pays homage to Sprouse who passed away last 2004.The Graffiti collection was first introduced in 2001 and was sold like hotcakes, many have missed out on it and now that they’re back, it’s worth rejoicing. In this new collection, Marc “Jacobs took two iconic Sprouse motifs — the graffiti and the rose — and interpreted them in Day-Glo shades of pink, green and orange over the Monogram print. The motifs are featured on Vuitton’s Keepall, Speedy and Neverfull bag styles, as well as basketball sneaker boots, pumps, sunglasses, headbands and wristbands, and small leather goods like wallets and coin purses. The rtw includes a mackintosh raincoat with a graffiti and monogram lining, graffiti leggings and a long-sleeve neon minidress featuring the rose design.” Marc Jacobs states that the collection will not be called reissues as he had done things that are similar or new which differs the “new collection” from Stephen’s Graffiti from 2001.

“I tried to take what Stephen had done at Vuitton and then kind of flip it in my head, and make it Vuitton’s work for Stephen, not Stephen’s work for Vuitton,” Jacobs said. “I just felt it was a funny way to play with it, to pretend to be Sprouse for a bit, and use the work that he did, and then bring it back to the work that he did before I collaborated with him.” – Marc Jacobs

The new Graffiti and Rose collection coincided with the Stephen Sprouse retrospective called “Rock on Mars” at Deitch Projects’ 18 Wooster Street gallery from Jan. 8 to Feb. 28, and “The Stephen Sprouse Book,” by Roger Padilha and Mauricio Padilha, due out from Rizzoli New York on February 1.

“For me, this monogram graffiti was the first milestone of our permanent reinvention of our history. The thing that excited us the most is that somebody who disappeared years ago is going to be the center of life worldwide thanks to that for the next few months, we really want to celebrate a friend.” – Yves Carcelle, CEO Louis Vuitton. Find a Louis Vuitton Product on sale 

This season, Fendi’s new bag, the Peek-A-Boo, forsaken its streak of odd and unusual, is to be celebrities’ spring bag purchase.

Its crinkled patent leather, brushed gold and silver metal hardware, and flat padded leather handle, everywhere shows carefree and effortless look. Two large interior compartments with turn-lock closures on each side, laser-cut leather interior with intricate swirled circle pattern, lustrous satin lining on outer sides, everywhere shows its quality craftsmanship.

Well, if you are a little tempted, I will tell you some totally opposite comments. Style.com calls it the “kangaroo pouch”, and WWD calls it the “undone Birkin”. Somebody says pickpockets will love Fendi new bag for easily picking out anything from its wide open gape. Even people satirize Fendi telling people to open a side all the time showing off the bland interior.

Anyway, so much discussion cannot influence it completely. Like it or not, you decide.

Gucci Fashion House realized its spring summer 2009 collection recently features a wide range of bags for male, particularly for the young. Just to name a few. The most attractive one is the black white double-handled tote with delicate flower pattern and trimmed with smooth fine black leather. The brown crocodile skin leathered bag is very appealing and impress people with solemnity and nobleness. While the white bag with colorful print is more like a shopping bag, which brings you the easy breezy coolness in hot summer days. And the last one is an iconic Gucci bag with its classic logo in GG pattern, and the difference lies in the changing of red-green stripe into lovely candy color, and the pink handle glorifies the whole bag. More Gucci Handbags are on sale

Following Gucci’s female fragrance, Gucci House launched his first men’s scent,Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme last September. This first male fragrance entirely designed by Creative Director Frida Giannini for the modern male icon-sensual, elegant and masculine. “It completes my vision of the Gucci man I have worked on for the past two years, and now we are giving this Gucci man an iconic, contemporary fragrance,” said Giannini.

The top and the heart of the fragrance bring a smooth, crisp freshness, with the essence of cypress and calone. Violet and bergamot create a masculine floralcy, for a natural and timeless appeal. A unique heart distinguishes the scent, and intensifies its character with warm incense and a leathery accord, with tobacco notes bestowing a touch of sweetness. Amber provides warmth, longevity and depth; with black pepper contributing a striking, sparkling effect. The base is complete with woody notes of patchouli, cedarwood and amyris for undeniable elegance.

Gucci tapped actor James Franco to front its Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme launch. The actor James Franco, in James Dean style passes through an apartment saying lyrics of the famous song by Bryan Ferry-a “Slave to Love” to his girlfriend. The designer Giannini said, “I was interested in an emerging name, I like working with a new face to fully express my vision of the Gucci man. James has an intriguing, seductive side.” Treat yourself with an affordable