By
Elizabeth Blackwell, The Wall Street Journal
All this time, we've entrusted our handbags to professional designers
-- for good reason, we figured. Now, a number of Web sites are giving
up that responsibility.
Several handbag sites let consumers choose the style, fabric and
extra features such as zippers, pockets and strap length -- and sales
are growing. Viv Pickle, based in Philadelphia, says total sales are
up 16 percent this year over last. At Chicago's 1154 Lill Studio,
founded in 1999, online sales have tripled in the past year. They're
plugging into an expanding market. Sales of women's handbags reached
nearly $8 billion in 2005, a 68 percent rise since 2000, according
to the Travel Goods Association.
We wondered how we would fare as a designer: dream bag, or craft
project gone wrong? To find out, we ordered five tote bags in bright,
spring-friendly fabrics and scrutinized the ordering process for each
site. Along with the time involved and style and fabric options, we
evaluated whether we could judge the finished bag's look before we
handed over our credit-card number. (This was especially important
because custom bags can't be returned.) Finally, we handed out the
totes to a group of busy women for real-life tryouts.
Our panel loved the bold, red-and-black silk material on the $109
tote we chose from Sojourn Handbags, and the leather straps gave it
an upscale feel. "This looks expensive," said a judge. Still,
the site's choices were limited, with six fabrics -- and some of those
didn't coordinate particularly well with the three leather strap colors
offered. (Burgundy and light blue? We're not sure what to wear with
that.)
We liked the stylish, rounded top of the $72 Nantucket bag from Anna
William. However, once we got our bag, we realized the handle wasn't
big enough to pull over the shoulder, and the main pocket didn't fit
a whole lot. In general, the site's tote selection was limited, offering
two styles that looked more like canvas shoppers -- not our idea of
office-appropriate.
The Large Bucket bag, for $60 from Viv Pickle, won several votes
for the top choice. It was big enough for all the necessities without
being overly bulky, which was a big plus for the petite panelists.
The company had the widest range of about 100 patterns. The downside?
While the styles and fabrics are all there for browsing online, Viv
Pickle's Web site can't process actual orders. Requests may be emailed,
but final confirmation and payment have to be done by telephone.
In any case, our testers thought the $88 Southport tote from Oney
Designs -- generously laden with nine interior pockets -- looked more
polished and professional. The site offered plenty of options, too.
This tote came in nearly 40 different fabrics, most with a sophisticated,
urban feel, plus four sizes for the strap length, from 22 to 28 inches.
(You can add an exterior pouch or interior zippered pocket, though
it's an extra $15.) The "Your Workspace" feature shows the
selected materials side-by-side for easy comparison -- and the site
suggests combinations for the less-than-confident. Another plus: Oney
will send up to five swatches for free before you place an order.
For the site's ease of use and the bag's designer look, it's our Best
Value.
We really started to ponder a second career as handbag designer at
1154 Lill Studio. There were 80 fabric choices in all, both funky
and traditional, in textures that ranged from shimmery silk shantung
to chunky tweed, and they're all helpfully described online. You can
choose from 17 bag styles; we went with the good-sized $125 Pamela
bag, with space for a few magazines or work folders, three interior
pockets and a magnetic snap closure. The bright Geranium Petals pattern
we picked came in a heavy cotton that was sturdy enough for the beach,
but still looked sharp enough for the office. It's our Best Overall.
Now we just need some custom shoes to match.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06132/689641-314.stm