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Hottest Purse Trends for 2014 (Think Vegan)

Bryce Dallas Howard and Rashida Jones were carrying gorgeous leather-free handbags at the Golden Globes. So, I asked Jill Fraser, founder of Jill Milan, a luxury vegan handbag company what she thinks are the hottest trends for spring 2014. She provided some great insights.
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The other night, I was in my PJ's flipping through the channels and came across the 71st Golden Globe Awards. Of course, the most important part of the event for me is the fashion. My heart skipped a beat when I saw that there were two celebrities holding vegan handbags. Bryce Dallas Howard and Rashida Jones were carrying gorgeous leather-free handbags.

I asked Jill Fraser, founder of Jill Milan, a luxury vegan handbag company what she thinks are the hottest trends for spring 2014. She provided some great insights:

Hottest colours for spring 2014

The hottest colors will include blacks and whites, often paired together. Victoria Beckham, Roland Mouret and other designers used many black and white options.

Pale pastel colours also feature very prominently for spring 2014 and include shades of pinks, lilacs, oranges, blues, and neutrals in beige, gray, white, and flesh tones. In this case, the pale shades are often monochrome.

Metallics will also look chic, especially for evening.

Pantone's Colour of the Year for 2014 is called "Radiant Orchid." You should see quite a few brands incorporating this colour.

Favorite colour combinations is the pairing of pale pink dresses with white or beige handbags.

Hottest shapes and sizes for vegan handbags

Clutches are still hot but in less structured shapes and in larger sizes. For luxury bags, you will see quite a bit of hardware on many of these bags.

The top handle features prominently for spring 2014. The classic satchel, often with both a top handle and shoulder strap, is also very on trend for spring. Again this is a very feminine shape that is appropriate with '50s-influenced dresses.

Smaller bags with top handles. Many of the bags on the spring runway also were smaller with top handles.

Backpacks are very popular this season and were shown both for casual wear and with dresses.

Louis Vuitton showed quite a few bucket bags in black while Victoria Beckham had a very nice duffle in black and white.

For vegan bags, in particular, an Italian fabric house is making a very high quality microsuede of recycled PET. This fabric uses water-based process methodologies and nontoxic dyes. It is non-allergenic, dirt-resistant, waterproof, washable and can be machine dried. This material is so durable that it is currently used in European luxury cars.

Other Italian fabric houses are offering some beautiful linens, which are ideal for day bags.

For evening, more vegan companies will be experimenting with wood clutches, as well as using more conventional materials.

Hottest textures

Faux leathers, faux patents, faux pythons, microsuedes, and mixed media combinations of linen or canvas with faux patent, leather, or microsuede trim should all be hot.

Designers such as Derek Lam used fringe on their ready to wear collection and you will also see some handbag designers who will incorporate fringe.

Vegan handbags with mixed media combinations might feature linen or canvas with faux leather or microsuede trim or gussets. Bags can also be trimmed with metal chains.

There will be a very strong 1950s influence throughout 2014. You can see this trend illustrated in ready to wear. For instance, the dominance of flared and pencil and pencil silhouettes on the runways.

In general, this look is very feminine and influenced by iconic movie stars such as Grace Kelly. You can also see quite a few '60s influences in spring 2014.

Some designers such as Hermes used jungle themes while others such as Nina Ricci had strong romantic influences. You can see this in their use of white lace.

Stay tuned to my blog and share your comments below. Your tips and suggestions are always welcome, as I continue on my journey to find pretty, stylish and comfortable fashion.

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