Baby Phat Purses

Full of bang and bling, Baby Phat purses mark the intersection of hip-hop style and high fashion.

Baby Phat Women's BP Muse Bag

Behind the Brand

Baby Phat blossomed in 1998, beginning as a denim label and a collection of baby tees sporting the phrase "Baby Phat", and then growing into a full fashion entity built around hip-hop urban designs. Much like Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. line, Baby Phat is a celebrity endorsed clothing label that embraces the street subculture while raising its looks into the eye of high fashion.

In 2004, Baby Phat teamed up with Vida Shoes to launch the first Baby Phat Diva sneaker. Later the Baby Phat shoe line expanded to include a variety of styles such as stilettos, wedges, boots, and even baby shoes.

Kimora Lee Simmons is the lead designer for Baby Phat, drawing inspiration from her past career as a model. She is married to hip-hop icon Russell Simmons who is also the founder of the Baby Phat entity.

Baby Phat purses remain just one of many products included within the Baby Phat fashion empire.

Characteristics of Baby Phat Purses

Since Baby Phat purses are meant to define and integrate hip-hop culture into mainstream fashion, it comes as no surprise that these handbags feature wild flagrant designs with a heavy emphasis on "bling". You can expect the following from a Baby Phat handbag:

• Eccentric Styles
• Heavy Embellishments
• Liberal Use of Chains
• Signature Cat Patch or Crown Logo

Though styles evolve seasonally, the Baby Phat line is fairly considerate when it comes to color. Accents and hardware are plentiful, but the boldest colors feature reds and teals, as opposed to the exotic leopard prints upheld by Dolce & Gabbana or the ostentatious color patterns of L.A.M.B.

Baby Phat purses are designed in several styles including:

• Handbags
• Totes
• Hobos
• Drawstring Bags
• Satchels
• Overnight Bags

The Spring 2007 Collection

The official Baby Phat site has already posted its Spring 2007 line which displays a large collection of handbags, all featuring the same basic and muted colors that include, white, black, tan, teal, brown, and the occasional fire-engine red.

The standard Baby Phat satchel is sort of a defining piece for the line. It comes in a slouchy style, reminiscent of the 2004 Juicy Couture bowlers. This bag boasts gleaming gold or silver accents, studding, and details set against a fabric background. The trim is manufactured from synthetic leather.

The Baby Phat Belted Hobo takes a step beyond the standard satchel with the introduction of woven synthetic leather and a shiny dangling chain. This bag, true to the Baby Phat inspiration, is heavy on the hardware, and the logo remains prominent against the bag's basic colors. This is an excellent "everyday" bag, perfect for shopping trips, coffee houses, even a trend-conscious trip to the museum, although the bag's showy nature may prove too much for an upscale evening scene.

The Baby Phat Vision

Baby Phat purses are intended for fun, assertive, modern women. The hip-hop undertones override any kittenish effect, favoring a vision of strength and glitz. However, the manufacturing of these allows consumers to be fully aware of what Baby Phat has set out to accomplish as a fashion entity.

Though the Baby Phat name graces New York's Fashion Week annually, these bags are not meant to compete with high-profile stars like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Even L.A.M.B. has set out to achieve high designer status, while boasting costly materials and even costlier price tags. Baby Phat's expenses are minimal; the collection's bag will rarely, if ever, exceed 100 US dollars. Moderate prices keep the Baby Phat line available to its desired hip-hop audience.

However, price slashing rarely comes without quality slashing, as indicated by the materials used during the manufacturing of Baby Phat purses. These popular handbags are created using coated metals and synthetic leather. Hence, these handbags will not rival the quality of more expensive brands such as Kate Spade and Coach. Instead, Baby Phat lingers somewhat on par or below the quality of Guess.

Nevertheless, the styles are seemingly haute and the price tags are refreshing. Therefore, ladies, give your Visa a little kick this season!

Where to Purchase

Baby Phat handbags can be purchased online at the official Baby Phat site. Retailers and department stores that carry Baby Phat purses and accessories can also be located by running a search using the provided store locator.

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