Wall Street Journal Blog: Bag Snob Weighs In on Fashion Week

Read what Kelly and Tina have to say about the Fall 2011 collections at WSJ.com

Of all the snobs who roamed Lincoln Center during New York Fashion Week, we are partial to Kelly Cook and Tina Craig, the pair are behind the blog family Snob Global Media.

Originating in 2005 with Bag Snob, a website serving up designer handbag reviews, the pair has since expanded their reach to include clothes, beauty, jewelry, shoes and more.

Ms. Cook and Ms. Craig saw nearly every catwalk this week, closely eyeing every facet of the collections. We asked them for their take on the clothes–and of course, the bags.

Edited excerpts:

WSJ HEARD ON THE RUNWAY: What was your favorite show of the week?

Tina: Derek Lam. It’s just so wearable. There’s drama but it’s not like, “Oh my gosh, I can’t wear that in my real life.” There are great little jackets, there’s fur. It’s just easy, it’s casual, it’s chic.

Kelly: You come to the shows and you are looking for drama. There’s not a lot of drama this season. Thakoon was drama in the sense that everything is really showy but not very wearable. DVF was very, very different. They threw away all their patterns and they had these gaucho type loose tops, kimono style. Cool jump suits and a lot of separates. For once, it wasn’t all about the print, it was about the cut, the fabric.

WSJ: Did anything surprise you this week?

Kelly: This puffer jacket gown at Thakoon–red and blue plaid, like a big puffer jacket, but it was a full-length gown. It’s showy. It’s good for the runway. WSJ: What were your favorite handbags?

Tina: It’s all about art deco for Ralph Lauren. Sick. It was like 1920s Shanghai at the height of its glamour, that’s what the collection was to me. A lot of jade and appliqués. Beautiful. The attention to detail on the bags–I have not seen that in a long time, not from American designers. It’s going to change the scope of his accessory business.

Kelly: I’m interested to see the prices. It seems like their bags are a little bit out of reach for most people and it would be nice to have a nicer price point so that it’s accessible.

WSJ: What style of bag do you think is hot for fall?

Kelly: It’s all about the messengers. Everybody needs to get themselves a nice messenger. Not only is it practical, it’s very chic.

WSJ: What tips do you have for WSJ readers on buying a bag?

Tina: If you live in a city like New York or Chicago, you should go shopping for your shoulder bag in your heaviest coat. Usually, you buy a great bag wearing a little dress and then the winter comes and it doesn’t stay on over your coat. Also, wear a tank top under the coat, so you can take it off so you can make sure the shoulder strap doesn’t hurt your shoulder.