Sometimes I wonder what exactly makes one bag company take off, while another barely garners any chatter at all. Not that it's a bad thing, I mean, there is a saturation of some brands which I suppose comes with the territory of super popularity.
One company not mentioned nearly as often as it should be, I think, is Luba J.
Granted, they started with a bang and lots of press, but I hadn't heard much since, so I did what any good blogger will do...I Googled them, and came across this, cute shoulder bag.
Called the Panda Bag, maybe because it's soft and cuddly looking like it's namesake, the bag is fashioned from a soft pebbled looking leather, with contrasting appliqued trim. There are 2 zippers that run from the front of the bag to the back, which is a nice trim detail. The top is open to reveal a contrasting interior, but folds over softly, to be secured by a strap and turn lock. The handle is also unique looking, like a leather rope, wrapped in leather and knotted to side panels which are also in the contrasting color of the interior...did I mention the lining? Suede. My favorite (though it is light colored which shows dirt quickly).
The color is also delicious, a deep eggplant, which makes it perfect to transition into the fall.
You can find Luba J bags at FengJunk, where the Panda is $730 in eggplant, black ash, or congac (also hot!).