Sold! That was quick!

Thanks for all the emails and offers! The gorgeous chevre HAC has found a new loving home!

Hermes HAC/Birkin FOR SALE!

If you have ever considered taking the plunge into the world of Hermes, please do take a look at this wonderful piece. It has been called the Holy Grail of handbags and for good reason! Not only is it an absolutely stunning piece of Hermes craftsmanship but it is almost as ellusive as the Grail itself! Waiting lists, if you can get yourself on one, are YEARS long! Why wait??? Here is the perfect opportunity to buy an authentic Hermes HAC/Birkin bag at an incredible price!

The Hermes Haut a Courroies, (pronounced roughly, "oat ah coor wha") is the original Birkin bag. It literally translates to mean "high belts" and compared to the regular 35cm Birkin is taller with shorter handles. It is very flattering and tends to give the wearer a taller look - perfect for those of us that are a bit vertically challenged!

This is an authentic (of course) Hermes 32cm HAC made of Chevre (goat leather) in black with 24K gold plated hardware. It was made in 2004 and is in near mint condition! Aside from the normal wear signs from use (scratches on hardware, some corner rubbing, and a tiny scratch in the back) this piece looks brand new. Chevre leather is one of the most sought after leathers for it's richness and durability. Colors just seem to come alive when combined with Chevre. The 24K gold plated hardware is just perfect and brings out the warm quality of this color and leather combination.

Interested in purchasing this authentic HERMES Birkin? EMAIL ME I’ll get back to you ASAP!

The Musette in Paris

The Louis Vuitton Musette is one of my favorite bags. It is stylish, simple, and completely functional. I remember the first time I saw a young woman with a Musette slung across her hip - it was love at first sight! I kept getting warned about the difficulty of dealing with the infamous "flap" but I decided I needed one. The flap turned out to be one of the high points of this piece. I would even venture to say I prefer the flap opening to a zipper or clasp. It is so easy to get in and out of that I recommend the Musette not only to travellers but students, moms, dads, or anyone that enjoys the unobstructed use of their hands!

I was lucky enough to be able to spend my honeymoon this past December in Paris. The Musette served as my workhorse on every single sightseeing expedition. I enjoyed the wonders of Paris while having my hands free to shop, take photos, and even share a romantic afternoon stroll with my new husband. I keep looking for another messenger-type bag but I have yet to find one that compares. If I grow tired of it, I can always get one in Damier...

Hermes Spring 2007 RTW!

Jean Paul Gaultier's latest collection is, in a word, amazing. The colors and textures of his Ready-To-Wear for Spring 2007 are a feast for the senses. Some of us had our doubts about JPG and how he would fit in the Hermes house but our worries are, in my opinion, finally put to rest.

Here are a few of my favorites. To see more of this wonderful collection, go to Hermes Spring 2007, Ready-To-Wear at Style.com.

Piseau Is A Fashion God

I have a love of many things but two that are in my top ten are animals and fashion. Piseau is a Maine Coon that I adopted from the Colorado ASPCA. He was named "Smokey" there but when we got home, he adopted a love of French fashion and so became "Piseau". He loves the camera and the camera loves him!

Here are a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

Piseau and Hermes Kelly 32cm Box Calf in Brique

Piseau and Louis Vuitton Suhali pieces - Le Fab, Le Tal, and Bracelet

Piseau with Louis Vuitton Graffit pieces - Speedy, Alma Horizontal, Alma, Pochette Accessories

Pisea and classic Chanel black caviar leather

Celebrity LOUIS VUITTON Sightings!

Let's face it - celebrity sightings are fun but when you pair sightings with Louis Vuitton, it's even better! Thanks for the idea, Anita! Keep the comments coming!

If you have a celeb Louis Vuitton photo to post EMAIL ME and I’ll credit you!

Paris Hilton and her Miroir Alma GM ~ $2100

Rose McGowan and her Epi Soufflot ~ $1080

Vanessa Bryant and her Denim Mini Pleaty ~ $705

Salma Hayek and her Epi Pochette Accessories ~ $360

Jamie Lynn Siegler with her Monogram Pochette Accessories ~ $285

Faith Hill with her Louis Vuitton Epi Alma ~ $1090

Bai Ling with her Louis Vuitton Bedford ~ $1180

Carmen Electra with her Louis Vuitton Le Fabuleux ~ $3700

Hermes Fun - Part 1

Eye Candy - YUM!

I've put these together for size comparison purposes.

Enjoy!

Barenia Picotin MM, Barenia HAC 32cm, Chevre HAC 32cm, Bracelets, Necklace, Charms, Bookmark, Twillys

Togo Birkin 35cm, Togo Picotin PM, Box Calf Kelly 32cm, Courcheval Birkin 35cm

Togo Birkin 35cm, Box Calf/Toile Travel Birkin 55cm

Is Multicolore DEAD?

Let's face it. When we all saw that "Newlyweds" episode in which Jessica Simpson sportied her Louis Vuitton white Multicolore Speedy 30 on her camping trip, it was like a car accident - we couldn't look away. The gorgeous colors! The beautiful golden hardware! Then the J-Lo Murikami ads; it was just too much for words! WE HAD TO HAVE IT.

And we did. In droves. We ran to Louis Vuitton with credit cards in hand (some close to being maxed, in fact) and ready to shell out about $1500. That was the approximate retail price back in 2003. Almost a bargain compared to the current price of $1910 but the $1500 price tag actually was a bargain when the MC Speedy first came out because there were none to be had! Sold out! EVERYWHERE! And with the LV buzz going around that the Multicolore line was to be discontinued, people were in a frenzy. It was quite normal to see one of these Speedys bring in more than $2500 on Ebay. Talk about a mark-up! But, to the fashionistas of the world, a tiny, minuscule price to pay to have the "IT" bag of the decade.

Then something happened. Louis Vuitton decided that Multicolore was here to stay. Why wouldn't they? They were making killing on their most influential line to date. They would continue to make a killing on Multicolore - or would they? Now, every LV boutique carries Multicolore in droves and Eluxury is stock full of them. They are hardly "hard-to-find" anymore and with that and a mighty "BOOM", er, make that a dreadful "fizz"; Multicolore lost its appeal.

It's done. Over. Finished. I remember walking down the street, being blinded by all the colors. Everyone had at least one Multicolore piece, whether gorgeous and authentic or a disgusting, horrible fake. I truly wonder if there has been a bag or a line more counterfeited than Louis Vuitton's Multicolore line. It was that popular. And now, well, honestly, I can't remember the last time I saw an MC piece. It's truly over.

So how come I still have my black Multicolore Keepall 45? I no longer have either of my Speedys (too heavy, I told myself, when really, I just couldn't carry them anymore because they were so so so overdone), my Alma (I loved that thing but when I saw my Church secretary with a fake one, it just had to go), all the accessories (to accessorize with what? All my bags were gone - I sold them on Authentic-Luxuries ); but the Keepall stays. For now. Why? Because it's gorgeous and like a first crush, you never truly fall out of love with the beauty of it.

Some of us Multicolore veterans remember the "MC Madness" with the sort of fond recollection you have for your time at boot camp - great experience but you wouldn't want to do it again. Hours of endless searching and refreshing your screen hoping and praying that Eluxury would get that Speedy in. Wavering on spending $1000 above retail for a bag, albeit a gorgeous bag; it all just seems so insane now. But the "IT" bag can do that to you. Believe me.

So, for nostalgia's sake, my Keepall stays and every once in awhile, I take her out for a look and remember my time in the trenches with all of you other Louis Vuitton Multicolore Veterans. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, and it was really quite insane. At least I have my Keepall as a souvenir of the times I spent with my Multicolore veteran brothers and sisters.

Welcome to the Authentic-Luxuries Blog!

This is the place to ask and answer all those great fashion questions. Is an Hermes Birkin for me? Is my Louis Vuitton Multicolore Speedy passed it's prime? What's the new "IT" bag? What's hot? What's not?

I will definitely be sharing my thoughts with all of you but I would love to hear what you have to say! So get in here and start talking but don't take it too seriously. I mean, this is just fashion after all. But, then again...

And, if you happen to be looking for exquisite luxury goods, be sure to visit the Authentic-Luxuries Ebay selling page at Authentic-Luxuries For Sale Now