The handbag has long been a symbol of status and style - it dominates the fashion scene, adds that all important finishing touch to the outfit, and is the portable accessory that no woman can live without. So, while some may say that diamonds are a girl's best friend, it's not just diamonds that make a girl shine - it's also the handbag she carries. This book celebrates some of the most fantastic and desirable handbags of the 1950s and 60s. All are constructed of lucite - a transparent, acrylic plastic - considered to be a radical and innovative substance at the time. Still highly desirable and collected today, they command high sums on the vintage fashion scene. Unrivalled for their beauty, influential because of their unusual designs, without exception they truly sparkle like diamonds. This book is packed with stunning examples shown in all their glory in over 100 fantastic photographs. AUTHOR: Janice Berkson is the owner of Decojewels in New York (Soho), and one of the major experts on this subject. ILLUSTRATIONS 170 colour *
