There are very few things that delight my fashionista eyes more than witnessing something ordinarily associated with the masculine and the tough trades  crawl out of the cocoon and redeem itself into an extraordinary butterfly.

I apologize for the exaggerated metaphor. However, I stand in awe every time a designer presents a collection around such themes as “rock chic” , “biker babe”, “hard rock diva” , and so forth, and actually succeeds in leaving the feminine and the sexy unscathed by all that leather, spikes, rivets, buckles and clouds of black.

I always think of Kate Hudson when I hear “rock chic”: she is one of the few Hollywood personalities able to pull off an 80’s concert look still looking delightfully innocent, fun, and downright sexy.

 

For the rest of us, I can’t think of a better and easier way to be rock chic than with a hand bag.

I came across Fenderbunny, a line of  leather bags whose

designs are tattoo-inspired, boasting a

vintage rock ’n’roll feel.

No two Fenderbunny bags are 100% identical.

Andrea Coleman, the California-based designer and owner, uses soft, fine Italian leathers and self-antiqued hardware.

To bring her designs to life, she uses a combination of

screen-print and hand-paint processes.   She also developed a special process to give the edges of the leather a worn-out, antiqued look.

Fenderbunny (which is biker slang for “hot chick on the back of a motorcycle.”) started out through word of mouth.

Andrea was a Disney animator when she made her first bag using the leather from an old pair of pants. Friends, with their commissions, and passers-by stopping her on the street to find out where they could get her bags, soon persuaded her to open up shop and start a real business.

Two years to date, her bags have been sold in a handful of select high-end boutiques along the West Coast and were featured in the April 2007 Miami Fashion Week runway show by fashion designer Indashio, and she is now expanding the line to include painted leather belts, cuffs, leather headbands and other products.

 I asked Andrea to describe her product and she said: “My tagline is “Not Your Mother’s Handbag,” so I want

to attract women who want to make a statement and show

their own unique edge.”

 

Although she admits her creations tend to be on the higher price-point range, because of the time spent on each of her hand-crafted bags and the fine quality of the materials she chooses, a GOOD bag is what will save you and forgive you, when you step out of your house in sneakers and sweats, your hair unwashed and your swollen eyes hidden behind large frames.

A real good bag will not only redeem you, but will turn your shabbiness into a fad. 

To see more of Andrea Coleman’s products, check out

www.fenderbunny.net

www.myspace.com/fenderbunnyfashion

 

by Kalikloth