Bells and Whistles handbag collection was actually an unintended (and very welcome) offshoot of designer Barbara Rourke’s furniture business.
Rourke, who owns a custom-furniture design firm in San Diego, California, with her husband, began devoting attention to sewing in 2004. And a star was born: the Bells and Whistles leather handbag collection.
The handbag collection, although in its infancy, shows promise as an elegant, charming line to be sought after by the sophisticated and fun-loving alike.
Their look would be considered modern; however, Rourke’s designs often emulate nature (leaves, branches, simple floral), lending a down to earth, natural element. Bells and Whistles handbags have garnered notice from local fashion entities, as well as from trend-spotting Web site Daily Candy.
In contrast to its name, Bells and Whistles handbags come across as clean and simple to the eye.
Adornments to the bags, which are crafted from supple leather, are modest yet eyecatching: leather appliqués, often in a brightly contrasting color to the rest of the bag; floral accessories; and inner lining fabric in unexpected patterns and colors.
Rourke’s designs are Asian inspired; the Spring 2005 line including several handbags adorned with appliqués of delicate tree branches that appear to tentatively explore the bag’s front panel.
Bells and Whistles handbag designs are also influenced by Rourke’s background in crafting hand-made furniture and home decorations; the line also recently expanded to include enamel jewelry.
Another no-fuss, no-muss feature of the Bells and Whistles line (at least the Spring 2005 collection) is that bags are designed in one of two styles: a clutch or a hobo.
Clutches, in turn, are available as clean-cut rectangles or rounded pouch styles. The rectangular “Chloe” features a leather appliqué in the shape of a leaf; “Ellaina,” also rectangular, features an appliquéd Asian-inspired tree branch design; then there’s rounded “Kate,” adorned with a different botanical-inspired appliqué; three other clutch designs make for an adequate selection.
With the Bells and Whistles collection’s hobo handbags, it appears that Rourke has achieved the perfect “hang.” Her hobo handbags look so soft, the leather so buttery, that it appears as though they would comfortably mold right to the wearer’s rib cage.
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