JUDITH LEIBER: CRAFTING A NEW YORK STORY @ MAD MUSEUM

Fish minaudière w/rhinestones (1978)

Clutching a green toolbox, 26-year-old Judith Leiber landed in New York City in 1946. The box--credentials of a master craftswoman (and an ironic foreshadowing of minaudières to come)--signified both saving grace and an unusual ability to craft handbags from dream to designer showroom. As a Jew living at the height of Nazism, opportunity materialized in the form of family connections and a job at prestigious purse company Pessl. Trading chemistry and a future in the cosmetics industry for bag-making, 3,500+ exotic and Swarovski crystal-encrusted handbags were brought to life. Until August 6th, the Museum of Arts and Design celebrates the legacy of Judith Leiber through Judith Leiber: Crafting a New York Story--the second in a three-part series on craft. Keep reading for a look inside...

#KIPLINGHOLIDAY SOHO POP UP

Backlit sign at the #KIPLINGHOLIDAY pop-up shop; Greene St., Soho 

With an affinity for "cute," Kipling's candy colored monkeys appeal to customers young and old, serving as the coveted component of the spirited bags. Just shy of celebrating 3 decades in business, Antwerp-based Kipling expands its product offerings and advances its silhouettes to be be notably trend-worthy, covering the spectrum of consumers from kiddie chic to work-appropriate. Steady success speaks volumes--within the last 5 years, the brand's sales doubled! Before being invited to the brand's #Kiplingholiday 3-day Soho pop-up, I had forgotten about my Heather Rose colored, crinkled nylon duffel which currently warms the top shelf of my closet. Keep reading for some of this season's surprises...