fashionfans

Colorful, sporty and irreverent. That seems to be the call at Prada for spring. In a range of sizes from the large and practical (although done in crazy stripes and color combos) to the dainty and demure, the bags were a cheeky take on the age-old mentality of matching one's bags to one's shoes.It’s always disappointing when the handbags are the least impressive part of any collection, but with a line as inventive and exciting as Prada bags Spring 2011, I guess something had to get the short shrift. The collection’s shoes were the best of the season thus far, but the handbags left a bit to be desired for luxury lovers.

I'm quite intrigued by the interesting use of fabrics on these bags--not having touched them, some appear to be made of a hardened jersey-like material. The oversized leather buckles and locks also add a bit of whimsy to an otherwise serious and straightforward aesthetic.Literally. I'm partial to the oversized top Prada handbags because they remind me of luggage pieces; they're also all based on existing Prada silhouettes that will be familiar to ardent shoppers.

In fact, if the Prada tote had been made of leather from the outset instead of featuring so much canvas, my take on the collection would be lightyears more positive – I just can’t get excited for high-priced cotton, even though I think the aesthetic ideas are strong and interesting.In keeping with the trends we’ve seen in Milan so far, Prada went for bright colors and multihued designs. Most of the stripes came on a canvas background, and I’ll be interested to see if any of those bags are translated to leather for retail.