Winter Wonderland

We are in Minnesota visiting family and taking a small break.







Back soon!

buried in holiday orders

I have a lot to say, but no time to say it. More soon, I promise.
p.s. these are minisacs readied to leave the studio and not bricks of illicit substances. :)

In the garden with Sac Bretelle

If this were the game of Clue, I'd say: Matilde, in the garden, with the Sac Bretelle.

Mat was painstakingly packing up these new bags (of which Galerie Vie in Japan will be the first retailer) for shipment, when I grabbed her for a quick photo session in the backyard. The strap of the bag is doubled so you can wear it on your shoulder or you can un-double it and wear it cross body, or take strap off altogether and wear as clutch. Did somebody say, Triple Threat? Uh Huh. Look out. :) More pics of the Bretelle to come soon.

Sponge Worthy

As in, Design*Sponge, of course...what'd you think I meant?
I was so excited to be featured on this stellar site back in the beginning of December but things were hectic and I didn't have time to spread the joy. La Trop on Design*Sponge! It was a red letter day. I felt it. I just couldn't share it, 'til now.

Then today, again! This time the Bash Please girls listed their favs on D*S and CViv iPad sleeve was featured with a few of my favorite designers: Loup Charmant and Heather Heron for Environment.

p.s. With "Sponge worthy" I think I've referred to Seinfeld two times on this blog and I'm officially dating myself. Mental note: Stop. It.

another holiday sale...

We've done quite a few this year and it's been wonderful to be out meeting all the lovely people who buy my bags. Tomorrow evening, I'll be Mohawk General Store. We have new stock and I can't wait to have a legitimate excuse hang out at their cool new space. I know I'll be doing my own holiday shopping while there as well. Come by if you can! xoxo

an email from Greece

No, I'm not in Greece, but Vasiliki is. She's a customer and she made our day a few days ago, so I thought I'd share.

Θέμα: CLARE VIVIER Customer Receipt/Purchase Confirmation
Προς: "VASILIKI ">
Ημερομηνία: Τρίτη, 30 Νοέμβριος 2010, 17:40

dear Clare and wonderful colleagues! I just received the one and only brown Bomber clutch and the cute pom pom and I feel so excited about that! You' ve made my day, not to mention my Christmas!!! I am a real admirer of your work Clare, and I already own the famous La Trop in both tan and black and the wrist wrap which I am very proud of! I bought them from Bodie and Fou and I have to admit that I am very satisfied by the quality of their site and service! Anyway, you' ll hear from me soon again since your whole collection is not available on their shop. Finally, I would like to wish you and your family and of course your colleagues the best Christmas ever and a very happy and healthy New Year!!! Thanks again for everything! best regards Vasiliki K. Athens, Greece Vasiliki, you are adorable! And you've reminded us all a few things about manners and thoughtfulness, thank you! Or as you say, σας ευχαριστώ ! p.s. can we visit you one day? :) xoxoClare

Désormais

désormais [dez-or-may] 1. nowadays

As in: désormais this is what I'm wearing - very ridiculously hot vintage hot boots from an incredible secret, invite-only sale (date and location of which shall remain preciously witheld); still wearing cotton fuzzy jacket from Luxe de Ville; and around the house, yes, around the house, I carry this vintage Gucci backpack. No, I don't actually carry a bag around the house, but I mean, I admire (okay, and occasionally tote) this object of beauty around the house. (I have developed a new fear that if I carry another brand's bag outside the house, people will think I don't carry my own bags and that would look bad - never mind the fact that nobody 1. knows who I am; and 2. would be as irrational as me.)

Happy 25th Galerie Vie!

This is where they carry our bags in Japan: Galerie Vie. I have never been to Japan, but I would love to go visit this store.

Hello Chicness.

Yesterday, I received this 25th Anniversary look book from them which included, among their very carefully curated selection, the black Mini Sac. I'm sooo honored. It looks so beautiful on their pages.

"The Essence of Elegance is Simplicity"

Oh my, GV, how did you take the words right out of my mouth? :) xoxc

MATILDE MONDAY

Jeana shot Matilde on Saturday a.m. for Closet Visit and I'm reposting some of my favorite shots.



And not only is she super stylish, she's super quick and smart and funny. We love Mat.

We have the best assistent ever!!

LOTS OF adorable outtakes on Jeana's Flickr!

The way we work

On one side of the office there's me and a bunch of papers on the desk, two printers (1 on the floor, that cannot be feng shui.) It's tight quarters here. We may even need a bigger space soon (knock on wood knock on wood.) But 'til then, I think it's kind of cozy being able to hand Jocelyn things she prints without getting up from my chair.

At my back on the other wall, there are bags stacked on every flat surface and hanging from from every possible hook. We are trying our best to get you your bag! Even (especially) if you haven't ordered it yet.

Holiday Craft Trunk Sale Show Bazaar Fair

We've got 4 sales coming up over the next week and a half and I think there's a sale for everyone. Take your pick:

For hip families, there will be nothing cooler than this sale at the chic school, the Oaks. Beatrice Valenzuela, Commune, Yummy Fun Clare, need I say more?

For ladies who like to shop...might I suggest a trip over to Beverly Hills for some fun at Jill Roberts? I recently met Leslie Offer and got a few of her bracelets and I LOVE them. They will be their own post one day soon. But look no further if there's a fille on your giftlist. Plus proceeds to Unicef - shopping with good conscience, we all need that.

For the artsy crafty, you're gonna die over the talented craftspeople at the Echo Park fair. This is where we live - east side - get it at it's source. Here, craft turns the corner and becomes that-thing-you-must-have-now-to-complete-you. I mean, get out! Annie Costello Brown! Granola Project! (Granola you may not have heard of yet, but soon will be calling crack) Kathryn Bentley! These are three of the many reasons to interrupt your Saturday and make a trip to el parque.

I have yet to meet Heather Levine, the generous host of this last sale, but I took a look at her website and now I now where any proceeds I make from sales that day are going!

Come out and see us! You've got 4 chances...xoxo

Days Go By

Visiting friends departed, holiday over, weekend passed, I've finally had a chance to catch up on laundry and other household chores. But I had been taking some good pictures last week before we shut down shop to give the proverbial Thanks. Here're a few.

Just about everyday, Matilde rushes into work a bit later than she'd have liked and hurries to give us bisous before starting on her morning task. And just about everyday, J and I will look at her then look at one another in disbelief of the fact that she's pulled another impossibly chic outfit out of that magically unending suitcase of hers. I mean, the number of shoes alone would take up a few Vuitton trunks. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, she pulled this hat out for us to swoon over. Black, wool felt, wide brimmed perfection. She's adorable.

As I mentioned on the tumblr blog, KK and Michael were here with us for a week. When KK came down one morning in one of her own impossibly chic outfits from her NY suitcase, which included in this case a Helmut Lang bolero tux jacket, I politely threw one of my new silver "bando" bags on her shoulder and snapped a few pics. They will be on the site shortly!

It's the simple classic bucket style bag with NO hardware...

The Weekender and the Overnighter bags are finally on the site! Go see them and think about your upcoming winter vacays...what are you putting your stuff in?? I snapped these photos on the window ledge outside my office. I like the lights - they feel autumnal and cozy.

And the green overnighter and the new red messenger below are both sharing the stage with pompoms which are also finally on the site.

Step by step in a small company...tomorrow is a new week with more things to accomplish. Good night! xoxo

Red Messenger Day

We have a new red for our messenger. It is only slightly different, but we had to photograph it to let everyone know.

I shot Matilde in our moody garden today. Michael and family are visiting from New York and he turned the pics into this gif. Nice, right?

PEOPLE (!)

Gilty Saturday

This is where I'll be hanging out this Saturday: R+G Collective in Brentwood.

R+G Collective

VIP Private Shopping Event

by Gilt City

We've been informed by Andrea that you actually dont have to pay the $35 it has been waived.

If you're in Los Angeles come by and, as they said, get some holiday shopping done! xox

Lucky's daily deal

To get it click here

Vuitton Visitor

A couple days ago, I had the great honor of being invited for the second time in my life to a Louis Vuitton factory. The first time, was at their original factory in Asnieres, France, which I wrote about here. The second time was on Friday at their top secret location outside of Los Angeles. For me, it was as close to Charlie in The Chocolate Factory as I'll ever get.

It is truly the Holy Grail for bag makers. I was strictly forbidden from taking pictures - much to my chagrin. But I get it, they seem to have this little problem with counterfeiting and such so it's kind of a big deal not to let any ol' person with a blog take pictures inside the facility. :) We sat through a brief lecture by our host - the French director of the factory - on the history of the House of Vuitton and the many meticulous details which make a Vuitton bag special; we toured the leather storage hangar; watched as the hides were obsessively checked for imperfections before they're sent inside the factory; were gobsmacked in front of futuristic cutting machines; stared at sewers making perfect stitch after perfect stitch; observed as women in Vuitton-brown lab coats scrutinized and tugged-at each bag giving new meaning to the words "quality control" before they were put into the cozy dustbag to be shipped to it's new rightful owner.

I came home from the tour and immediately pulled out my classic, cute "Speedy" - which this model is called - it is the only Vuitton item I own and it is going to be more present in my life. My authentic Speedy is from an estate sale in the boonies of northern California. My good friend was elated to find it a few months back. She has no interest in fashion, but she knew she'd have to buy this bag for me. Not only did she buy it, she put it in the post that very day with my address. Those are good friends.

We saw so many things in the couple hours or so it took us to tour the factory, and I'll retain it all preciously in my own private photo vault in my head, but one thing I'll say for Vuitton is they without question know how to run an impeccable state-of-the-art factory, treat employees (artisans as they are called there) with respect and dignity, and they make an incredible product. I dare say their products are worth every single dime they cost. I can't afford one in good conscious, but if I could, I would feel proud of it knowing where it came from. :)

Here is a cool video for their new book "Louis Vuitton: 100 Legendary Trunks."

Delivering Sunshine to Theory (By Whatever Means Necessary)

Yesterday, we shipped eleven boxes filled with sunshine and Trops to Theory LLC.

The afternoon light was streaming in through the windows.

Well, they weren't all Trops, there were also iPad sleeves, small clutches, black foldover clutches, messenger totes - the CV gamut. The sun was making the most beautiful lightshow on the plain cardboard boxes.

This is about how industrial we get, exhibit A: weighing boxes. This yellow bathroom-model is one of the only things we have from France and Le Mari's life before he met me. It is kilos. First we weighed Mat, then she held each box and we subtracted her weight from the total, then converted that to pounds. So glad we have a hot intern to do this job rather than moi.

This is good autumn light. Fed Ex wouldn't pick up the shipment so the boxes are waiting on the porch for us to carry them down and load them in a 1980s stoner van belonging to my neighbor, the legendary guitar maker, James Trussart. Jocelyn, Mat and I, all made the trip to Fed Ex in the plush-seated, behemoth blaring the Rolling Stones on two-for Tuesday rock-radio. It seemed the only station appropriate for that ride. Maybe our 80s van wasn't the classiest vehicle in town but as Mick always said best, "you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need..."

oh yeah. :)

Tying Knots

We had our annual PS ARTS Express Yourself event today. At our booth, DKap (above), Heather and I instructed people how to make fabric-knotted necklaces with big wooden beads.

Truth be told, we were very popular with the moms (maybe more so than the kids. Ha.) I LOve the big red bow. Lanvin? Nah.

HBT chics-out with blue tie-dye fabric.

Carrie was our stellar volunteer and beautiful with her pink-on-mariner-T.

This woman was lovely with her all-cream silk version.

This beauty stayed at the booth for about an hour making her creation. I think it is as happy as her smile.

I loved how this woman was wearing her gorgeous diamond pendant with her knotted-camo work.

By the way, there was a real nice piece on Closet Visit in LA Times Image section today. It mentions moi, Kathryn Bentley, DKap and HBT, too. Exciting. Incredible company to keep. Jeana just keeps on shining.