The Barbarella must be a gold mine for Carlos Falchi – I see women everywhere wearing it! Above Rihanna sports the tote in metallic silver. The bag comes in a variety of faux snakeskin colors (patent microfiber), and it’s priced at $185 for the small (14″ X 13″) and $220 for the medium (17″ X 16″). It’s lined, has a removable interior zipper pouch, and it’s a bit hard to make-out in the photo, but the top is finished with a scalloped trim. The metallic could border on tacky depending on the outfit you’re wearing this with, but it works against a neutral look like Rihanna’s. I’ve seen it at Bloomingdale’s in an off-white shade which strikes me as a way nicer option (something about that metallic silver color strikes me as very Bebe-esque…never a good thing!). The only other major downfall with the Barbarella is that it’s super thin, so if you’re thinking of getting it to use as a grocery shopper or need a bag that could hold something like a laptop, you’re out of luck.
I don’t love this bag, however if you’re a fan of Falchi’s real skin bags, but can’t afford them, this strikes me as a viable solution. What do you think about the Barbarella?
I used to work in the handbags section of Bloomindales two years ago, and would sell these like we were giving them away. Literally we couldn’t keep them in stock. I never got it- to me they look like a cheap bag you’d get at Target for $14.99.
I have an older season version of the Barbarella in a very large size (bigger than the medium) in black suede. It’s gorgeous and soooo practical for throwing it outerwear when the weather gets more unpredictable. I can totally understand the hype. My friend has a small one in bronze and it goes with everything, without being too precious to use daily. Kind of like an alternative to Le Pliage, maybe?
I have the silver version and it’s a great go-to tote for the pool, overnight trips, etc. I got it on Gilt or Ideeli…can’t remember…but it was a steal and it’s been worth the money that I paid for it. I do agree…it’s way too shiny for everyday wear. My silver version borders on the shiny side of foil!
Looks a lot like my Hansel & Metal bag from Latico.com (but certainly more pricey!)