I've got to admit- I love Costco as much as the next mom- but I don't know what to say about this.  I've heard rumors over the years that different Costcos have stocked various luxury handbags that I had some serious doubts about authenticity-wise.  I mean, some brands just don't wholesale or discount at all- ever... and so to see those brands at a Wholesaler like Costco just made me either doubt the bag's origin (and authenticity)- or the story of the person sharing it.

Well, now... word is out- and pictures from Bloomberg/Getty Images to match... from the New York City opening of the first Costco in the City- East 116th Street... and the Chanel and Louis Vuitton handbags that they seem to be selling at a discount.  They apparently have the Chanel Classic Flap (for $1999), have sold out of the Louis Vuitton Speedy.  Now, as we all know- these brands don't Wholesale.  And Louis Vuitton doesn't discount- ever.

So hmmm.  I mean, I guess, there's a possibility that for publicity, as kind of a luxury, designer "loss leader" to bring in Fashionphiles across the City- Costco purchased some amazing authentic luxury handbags directly boutiques- and are selling those bags for less than what it cost them- as a crazy, cool marketing tactic.  And then there's the other possibility... the bags are from a questionable source and ya know what that means.

I'd LOVE to know if any of my Fashionphile readers here have been to this Costco, and have checked out these bags!  Let us know!

Source:  Stylelist

Love this Louis Vuitton display that Selfridges had up till this weekend in their "Speedy Concept Store" for their 100th anniversary!  Did anyone see it?

I've always loved custom paint- so I totally dug it when Louis Vuitton released the Mon Monogram Speedy & Keepall in 2008.  You can get a variety of 17 colors, in different combos of striping and initials.

But Louis Vuitton has just released the Pegase Mon Monogram to make that perfect travel set!  LV was tweeting about it today- and I'm just such a fan.  I love it!

In Louis Vuitton's Stephen Sprouse Day Glow graffiti?  Madonna's orange? Agyness' green or Paris' pink?

OK... so we're all waiting for the (Rei Kawakubo) Comme des Garcons X Louis Vuitton collaboration, right?  Six bags.  Two based on re-issues... two based on icons, and two at Rei's pleasure.

And then WWD Japan comes up with the little preview above.  And I'm just wondering about a few things.

#1.  The Speedy in the picture is the Mini Speedy, Sac HL.  It's a small bag.  No, it's a super tiny bag.  We once had one of these returned to us back in the day, because she thought it was small, not "miniature".  Here's a picture:

So I'm wondering how the heck all those straps work?  Do they move independent of each other?  Would they fit on a teeny, tiny, miniature Speedy?  I mean, there's a possibility that the monogram canvas has been super-sized, in which case this is really a Speedy 25 with a huge monogram?  Does not look like it to me.

#2.  The Amazone and Papillon don't look like they've changed at all.  OK, so the Pap has some super cute Teddy Bear charms dangling from the strap, but they look removeable, like key rings.  I don't see anything variances between the Amazone above and Louis Vuitton's vintage Amazone.  Here's a picture (thanks to Jennifer for letting me us it!)

 #3.  The last bag looks like a skinny Louis Vuitton Musette Tango with a long Looping style strap.  Hmm... not feeling it.

So anyway, is it possible that the WWD pictures are hypothetical?   Like some inhouse graphic desigher's photoshop fun illustrating the collaboration?  Or are these for sure, Rei's designs?

I guess only time will tell!  What do you think?

Poor Miley's getting some bad press lately. I guess all the hard work she's been doing to get her name, face etc. all over the place is working. We're all looking now.

So this is Part 2. of Miley & Mandy, Friends with (LV) benefits. On the left you see Miley with her Louis Vuitton Denim Patchwork Bowly. A few months later, we have (on the right) Miley's BFF, Mandy with a Louis Vuitton Patchwork Bowly.  (Mandy's has the back facing front in the picture above.  The length of the handles is the first clue that this isn't a Louis Vuitton Patchwork Speedy.)

The truth is- the one that Mandy's carrying does look blue to me (Miley's is for sure black)... so maybe it isn't a Miley hand-me-down after all.

OK... I am totally loving this trunk show in the home of Lisa and Agbo Abiola.   Louis Vuitton  brought in dozens of  vintage trunks, as well as great new limited edition bags and clothes.  The event in honor of the Abiola Initiative: raising money for Music Education.  Check the Houston Chronicle Blog on the show for more pictures of bags etc.

My favorite?  Does it get cuter than the Abiola kids in a Louis Vuitton watercolor speedy and ostrich frame bag?  I'm loving the poses...

(Richard Carson, Carson Photos)

From the Brooklyn Museum of Art press release:

"A selection of Monogram Multicolor bags and small leather goods will be available for sale for the duration of the © MURAKAMI exhibition. Styles for sale include the Alma, Speedy, Ursula, Beverly, Rita, Eugénie, and Alexandra. Just as the MOCA store presented a number of limited-edition Monogram canvasses revisited by Takashi Murakami, the Brooklyn store will also offer a new version of these "Editioned Canvasses," signed by the artist and sold as exclusive art products. The new version, called Monogramouflage, is an exciting new pattern created by Takashi Murakami for Louis Vuitton, and gives viewers a glimpse of a bright new product line that will be launched at the Brooklyn Museum Louis Vuitton store on June 1 before being sold in selected Louis Vuitton stores worldwide. As the store may generate revenues, part of them will be donated to the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation."

Oh, so interesting.  So will the Louis Vuitton multicolore be just standard issue, or limited edition Murakami Brooklyn Museum specials?  We'll have to see.

There's a whole bunch of Murakami stuff on the Brooklyn Museum website- available now, but no Louis Vuitton.

Monogramouflage will actually be officially unveiled at Louis Vuitton's "Brooklyn Ball" launch party on April 3!

(Louis Vuitton Watercolor Aquarelle Frame)

You knew it wouldn't take long. While just technically launched yesterday, they're already up on eBay!

And, while I love to promote our own bags (we have a ton of amazing pieces on eBay and on our fashionphile.com website right now- including our own Richard Prince for Louis Vuitton Heartbreak Joke bag), ya gotta hand it to eBoutique! She's got some killer stuff. Loving seeing the new Richard Prince watercolor bags up.

She's got the Louis Vuitton Watercolor Aquarelle Frame Speedy pictured above, the Watercolor Aquarelle Papillon, and the Watercolor Jamais. Take a look.

Very cool, indeed.