Haute Event: Gucci Celebrates Handbag Artisan Corner in Atlanta

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Last week Gucci at Phipps Plaza held an ultra-exclusive cocktail party called “Artisans Handbag Corner.” Artisans were flown in from Italy to allow guests to watch them assemble some of Gucci’s most iconic handbags. Susan Been, Kim Lape, Kelly Loeffler, and Millie Smith co-hosted the evening, which benefited Make-A-Wish Georgia and 10% of the proceeds from the event benefited this fantastic organization to support its efforts in granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

Throughout the evening guests mingled and watch artisans assembling the House’s signature New Bamboo, New Jackie, Soft Stirrup and Soho bags as they sipped on prosecco, pinot grigio and the specialty cocktail of the evening – the Vodka Tangini. Dennis Dean A Catering Company served up delicious bites for the evening as well.  Shoppers took advantage of the hand-crafted products in exotic skins and exclusive colors that were personalized with hand-embossed monogramming, if they desired. The Artisan Corner display included custom work tables, a sewing machine, a leather stand, and metal tools, as well as additional background materials which illustrate the evolution of the products, from mood board to sketches.  

Here is a little background on the original Gucci Bamboo handbag which was first created in 1947. Re-introduced in the Spring Summer 2010 collection, the New Bamboo is comprised of 130 separate pieces and is crafted the same way as the original bag, requiring two days of labor to make everything perfect.  Meanwhile, the New Jackie bag takes its cue from a 1960s style that became the preferred accessory for Jacqueline Onassis, who was photographed toting numerous versions. America’s former First Lady was so devoted to the style that the bag soon assumed the moniker ‘The Jackie.’.  If you were not able to see these amazing creations being made last week, here are some pictures from the event.