bolarti Spring Handbag Line from Texas Next Top Designer Finalist Wendi McGowen

Spring is just around the corner, which brings with it the hottest color canvas of the year… literally.  In case your Valentine wasn’t too excited about the box of Russel Stover chocolates, these one-of-a-kind hand-painted bags by Texas Next Top Designer finalist Wendi McGowan will surely get you out of the doghouse. Her line, bolarti, combines fashion (bolsa for bag) and art (arte) when McGowen actually paints genuine artist canvases with original color schemes and brings it to life in her handbags.

Her spring  2011 color schemes include The Bridget, made with black, dove gray, white, metallic gold, charcoal gray and chocolate brown, and The Caroline, a more feminine color scheme with baby pink, hot pink, periwinkle blue, cream, spring green and metallic gold. To meet the carrying needs of all fashion-forward women in Dallas, these straight-from-the-runway color designs will be available in the original asymmetrical clutch, the handbag and the recently debuted silhouette– the shoulder bag. No two handbags are the same, and bolarti bag owners can also appreciate that a percentage of their purchase price is donated to select philanthropies.

All styles and colors are available for purchase through the website at www.bolarti.com and select styles can be found at Highland Park’s Facelogic Spa (4518 Lovers Lane). McGowan’s masterpieces are also showcased in Las Vegas at the exclusive boutique Nora Blue within Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino alongside Betsey Johnson, Hale Bob and Cassandra Stone.

Entries from all over Texas are being considered for Texas Next Top Designer, and will participate in the final judging on Saturday, March 5, 2011. Winners will be awarded at the Announcement Gala on Friday, April 29, 2011.  http://texasnexttopdesigner.org