Louis Vuitton Handbags Going to Brooklyn: Hoax?

Brooklyn-bound?Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Can you imagine finding Louis Vuitton Handbags for sale in Brooklyn? Like, the real kind? Well, we couldn't either, hence our surprise and downright excitement to learn the monogrammed leather goods would be on sale in conjunction with the Takashi Murakami retrospective opening at the Brooklyn Museum April 5. (For anyone living in a cave the last few years, Murakami designed those colorful, Louis Vuitton Handbags for Louis Vuitton that everyone carried.) WWD reports today:

Vuitton is opening a store offering a mix of multicolor monogram Louis Vuitton Handbags and small leather goods, as well as actual limited edition art canvasses with a new design by Murakami and Marc Jacobs called "Monogramouflage." They will preview a new Vuitton collection, which will launch in the Brooklyn store on June 1, and be sold at select Vuitton stores worldwide starting June 15.

So Vuitton's got a full-blown outer-borough store in the works? Or at least a pop-up shop? With new Louis Vuitton Handbags? And they'll even debut a collection for worldwide sale in our fair Brooklyn?!

It might sound too good to be true for a reason. A spokeswoman from the Brooklyn Museum said she didn't know where WWD got this information but could not confirm the museum would sell any Louis Vuitton Handbags. Our dreams are dashed! We are awaiting comment from Louis Vuitton and will keep you posted of any developments.

Update: Fashion Week Daily reports Louis Vuitton will open a pop-up shop in the Brooklyn Museum on June 1. The Brooklyn Museum and Louis Vuitton have yet to confirm details with the Cut, or, um each other.

How delightful it is to see the art of concealing purchases from husbands reach a new high.

I refer to the Wellington fraudster who stole $220,000 from her employer, yet managed to score three other jobs while she was on bail with name suppression.

It's not so much the amount of money she snaffled, or her silver tongue at interviews, that impresses me. It's the way her husband noticed nothing. What training he'd had. This woman was fantastic.

Most of us smuggle a new shoebox into the house muttering something inaudible about "sales" and "mrgdmph" – meaning "French" and "$500" in the language of women, which men seem so often to be tuned out from. This is our reward for the many other key questions they ignore, like "Does she look older than me?", and key words such as "dishes" and "lawnmower".

This husband must have been trained to live behind an open newspaper permanently, and be devoid of all observational skills, so adept has she been at bringing the packages home.

The unnamed woman told the court in January, when she pleaded guilty, that her husband knew nothing of her offending, and was even unaware of how much she was paid: "He did question me and I always told him it was a bonus structure," was her entertaining riposte.

She puts me in mind of Lisa Clement, the Winz worker who managed to get away with $1.9 million from her employer, and was in a position to repay only a possible $250,000 after her shopping spree. She was jailed in 2004.

You'd think the pile of plastic bags and swing tags might have alerted the family, but her husband, too, was oblivious. There was something good on the telly for a very long time, I guess, and you wouldn't even press the mute button for the ads.

Yet while admiring these women for their sheer gall, their cases raise worrying issues to do with the education system. How could two obviously intelligent women have so much spending money, and spend it with such a lack of class? What are we teaching in our schools if not the appreciation of the truly finer things in life?

At the end of the day the unnamed woman hasn't much to show for all the money – except, perhaps, a Chihuahua she paid $1500 for. She has seven Louis Vuitton Handbags for it to piddle in, two Gucci women's watches, one for each wrist, but used, two designer black leather jackets (yawn), a diamond solitaire ring (sigh), a gold bangle with diamonds (bigger sigh), and a man's yellow and white gold ring which she probably told him came out of a cereal packet.

Oh, there was an $8000 leather lounge suite, two LCD televisions and a laptop – but what are they worth second-hand? Police seized goods worth a tragic $20,000. Presumably the rest went on facials, Chihuahua pedicures and cornflakes.

I have nothing against Louis Vuitton, but would have admired Prada purchases more. Besides, there are so many fake Louis Vuitton products in Asia that who can tell the difference any more? And as for Gucci, did she know no more about quality goods than the ads in old magazines?

Clement had far more money at her disposal, but had equally baffling taste in bling, and remained in her Wainuiomata ex-statey, spending far more on doing it up than the house was worth. Her list of buys included Lord of the Rings figurines, 54 cat statuettes, a radio-controlled model tank, power tools and boxed war games. Every major tat business in Wellington must have benefited from her largesse, but in the end she had nothing wonderful to show for it. Her husband got some James Bond memorabilia, but obviously was no secret agent himself.

Anyone curious enough to ask Clement how she could afford her lifestyle was told she'd had a large inheritance, was getting paid a good salary, and got great bonuses. She, too, was a wit.

Seriously, though, did it not occur to these women to fly to Paris and go quietly mad in Galleries Lafayette? Where was their imagination?

With all the troubles over NCEA, this points to a more serious situation than I thought. Now's the time to include luxury shopping and elite brand recognition in the curriculum, so future fraudsters will cause less embarrassment.

The term "Hustle Man" has several meanings. Depending who you ask it can be can anything from a guy with three jobs or more commonly someone selling fake Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Handbags. In the NBA "Hustle Men" are the guys that are providing energy to their team. They're diving on the floor for loose balls, taking charges, and playing tough, hard-nosed defense. They do the dirty work that most players don't want to do while getting few shots and even fewer mentions in the news. Keyon Dooling fills that role for the Orlando Magic; he is to this team what Darrell Armstrong was to the Magic teams of old. The intensity he gives his team is invaluable and appreciated by his teammates.

"I think it's great," said Dwight Howard. "That's what we have to have from everyone that steps on the floor, that type of intensity. I think Keyon is like a little starter pistol for us; he gets everything going."

Most people will write him off because his numbers aren't the greatest. He only averages 8.3 points per game and 0.5 steals per game, which is surprising considering the type of defense he plays. But his importance is measured in other ways that extend beyond the statistics.

He is a talented combo guard that plays tenacious defense; he has defended everyone from Kobe Bryant to Chauncey Billups. He also does a great job of running the team's offensive, carefully picking his spots and getting his teammates the ball in good scoring positions.

"He's very important," said Rashard Lewis. "He's a great offensive player as well as a good defender. He comes in and gives us energy off the bench as well as defending some of the other team's main scorers."

It isn't only energy and intensity with Keyon. His selfless approach to the game allows him to accept his role on the team even if he doesn't agree with it. He keeps the team first and makes the most the of individual opportunities he gets, all while knowing he could be a starter on many of the league's other teams. For those reasons he is a respected leader in the locker room. He's found his niche and embraced it.

"If I had to define my role I would say it is to come in and be a spark," said Dooling. "Offensively and defensively; to play as hard as I can and do some of the little things that I think our team needs. I think that is every player's duty; go out play their game, play hard every night and try to help their team win."

With Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, and Hedo Turkoglu the Magic have plenty of star power. But no matter how many stars a team may have a player they always need a player like Keyon Dooling to fill in the gaps and do the dirty work.
 

Woman on motorbike snatches designer Louis Vuitton Handbags

She was one of two raiders who escaped with thousands of pounds worth of Louis Vuitton Handbags in a robbery late last night.

The thieves targeted Salvatore Ferragamo on Old Bond Street - the third time that the Italian clothes and accessories shop has been hit in the last two years. Two suspects, a man and a woman, smashed through a glass door around 10.20pm last night before making off with at least 10 Louis Vuitton Handbags, which can sell for up to £7,000 each.

A witness, who saw the thieves making their getaway, said: "They must have been doing more than 60mph. It was a woman passenger holding on with five bags on each arm. They were all different colours, some of them pink and yellow, and they were all blowing up because of the wind. It looked like she had a parachute on when they came through at that speed."

The man and woman's faces were concealed by their motorcycle helmets as they sped off through Berkeley Square towards Piccadilly.

There have been more than 60 raids on designer boutiques and jewellers in Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Chelsea in the last few years. Moped gangs have escaped with millions of pounds' worth of watches, gems and Louis Vuitton Handbags.

Detectives claimed to have cracked a major scooter gang after seven suspects were arrested in a police operation last December. Officers seized a handgun, four stolen motorbikes and 20 Louis Vuitton Handbags worth more than £1,200 each. The Islington-based gang was caught after they carried out two raids in one night while under surveillance.

Stores on Bond Street and Sloane Street have been the main targets of motorbike gangs. The thieves typically smash through glass windows with sledgehammers and grab as many items as they can in raids lasting only a few minutes.

Over 40 Louis Vuitton Handbags, including one £7,000 crocodile bag, were stolen in the last attack on Salvatore Ferragamo.

Nearby, the royal jeweller Asprey has been hit at least six times, losing some £400,000 worth of watches in one raid alone. It led to Asprey importing 22mm reinforced glass for its shopfront at huge cost. Gucci, hit at least twice in Bond Street and three times in Sloane Street, now employs 24-hour security guards. Other victims include Cartier, De Beers, Tiffany's, Tod's, Chanel, Mulberry and Gucci.

A Met Police spokeswoman said: "There are two suspects. The female passenger got off the bike and smashed through the glass.

"The suspects were last seen driving towards Piccadilly. We do not yet have a value on the items stolen."

Fashion slaves risking back trouble with oversize Women Handbags

Katie Holmes with her Hermes bag

If you're saving up to buy an oversize designer Women Handbags, don't forget to put a little extra aside.

You'll need it to pay the osteopath and chiropractor's bills when your back goes.

Lugging around the giant bags that are in fashion at the moment can damage your spine, health experts say.

Women risk causing permanent damage by carrying overstuffed bags on one shoulder or in the crook of their arm.

Even carrying a bag in your hand, like actress Katie Holmes, with her ￡4,000 Hermes HAC tote, risks putting too much strain on one side of the body.

It is thought the average woman carries around 5.2lb in her Women Handbags - twice as much as her mother used to.

Osteopath and acupuncturist Garry Trainer said he has noticed more women coming to his clinic with back strain.

"If a heavy bag is carried constantly on the same shoulder then it can compress the muscles on one side while stretching the muscles on the other," he said.

"Ideally weight should be carried across both shoulders close to the body.

"People do carry the kitchen sink in their bags and they should try and cut down what they carry around."

The trend for big bags is said to have taken off with U.S. stylist Rachel Zoe who thought they had the effect of making the carrier look petite in comparison.

Although the bags themselves are hardly lightweight, it is what is inside that really weighs women down.

Trio charged over Sydney Women Handbags heist

Three men have been charged with stealing $100,000 worth of women's Women Handbags during a break-and-enter on a department store in Sydney's CBD.

Police arrested the men in Market Street just after 2:00am (AEDT) this morning.

They allegedly found a stash of women's designer Women Handbags and balaclavas during a search of their car. A number of other items were also recovered.

Two men - aged 19 and 24 - have been charged with offences including aggravated break-and-enter.

All three have been refused bail and will appear in Central Local Court today.

Detectives from The Rocks, Surry Hills and Leichhardt have been working together as part of Operation Redcat in a bid to crack down on ram raid style offences on retails stores.

Via Spiga revamps, launches Women Handbags

If you're a fan of Via Spiga shoes, you've got two reasons to celebrate. One, the brand should become more visible and easier to find as they open new stores. And two, they're luanching a new Women Handbags collection in July.

As for the Women Handbags, they will fall under two labels - the more sophisticated Via Spiga with a price point from $44 to $168, and the sportier V Via Spiga selling for $39 to $73.

Look for a dove gray leather tote and a black croc-embossed satchel to be included in the Via Spiga line.

"[The Via Spiga woman] responds to lust and needs to make a fashion statement," Sheri Wilson-Gray, chief marketing officer for the Brown Shoe Company, Via Spiga's parent company, told WWD. "She likes being the maven."

Until your city gets a Via Spiga store of its own, the Women Handbags are expected to sell at the same retailers which carry the brand's shoes - Bloomingdale's, Macy's and Nordstrom.

Corrie actor gets hit with Brand Handbags
'Coronation Street' actor Jack P Shepherd has revealed that he often gets attacked by women on the streets because he plays a bad-boy.

The 20-year-old actor, who plays the scheming David Platt in the soap, told The Sun that people frequently react badly to him.

Shepherd said: "It's always the little old ladies who have a go at me."
 

Advertisement"Younger people think David is great but the grannies attack me with their Brand Handbags. What is it with grannies and their Brand Handbags?"
 

Shepherd also revealed that young children tend to be scared of him when they meet him.
 

"I scare children, too. They've been known to burst into tears just at the sight of me."
 

Referring to his upcoming storyline in the soap, where he pushes his mother Gail down a stairs, he said: "I know I'll get more of that next week. They want to know why I'm so awful to my mum so these scenes will really get them going."
 

"I get a lot of reaction from all sorts of people when I'm out and about but it's generally in good humour so it doesn't bother me."

Brand Handbags clobbered by celebrity fatigue

It's all over for the "it" bag - or so says consumer research specialist Mintel. Fashion shoppers - mostly female - are finally losing their passion for celebrity-endorsed Brand Handbags that can cost thousands of pounds each.

The market for big-ticket, big-name bags, as sported by the likes of Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham, has been expanding rapidly, chalking up 30% annual growth in the past three years. Total UK Brand Handbags sales, boosted by the "it" bag phenomenon, will exceed £500m for the first time this year.

Burberry has a new "Warrior" bag at a variety of prices from £850 to £13,000, depending on whether it is cut from leather or gold alligator skin. Chanel recently unveiled its Forever alligator bag, complete with a clasp studded with diamonds, for £100,000. And Smythson sells the Nancy bag, designed by Samantha Cameron, from £495.

Mintel is forecasting an 18% fall in sales growth thanks to the consumer downturn and celebrity fatigue.

"Women have become more cynical about celebrity-endorsed products," said Katrin Magnussen, senior fashion analyst at the market research group. "Many will no longer be as quick to spend hundreds, even thousands of pounds on a bag just because the likes of Posh Spice have been snapped with one, especially when these days the must-have looks are quickly translated to the high street."

A downturn in demand will be bad news for firms like Burberry, Mulberry and luxury label groups such as LVMH. The Brand Handbags business is a vital part of
the fashion trade, often generating bigger profits than clothes. Mintel says worries about cheap labour and the environment will also hit sales. A green bag, it seems, could be the next "it" bag