Exclusive! Meet the Designer of Ciara's Fashion Week Bag - StyleList

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Exclusive! Meet the Designer of Ciara's Fashion Week Bag

Filed under: Accessories, Fashion, News, Runway Report


Ciara, front-row at Nicole Miller, with her Khirma Eliazov bag. Photo: Bryan Bedder, Getty Images

Fashion Week might be over, but we're still obsessing over a lot of the things we saw during the eight-day style stretch.

One of those things is the chic yet edgy leather and stingray bag Ciara had plopped on her lap while seated front-row at Nicole Miller -- the purse had crazy similarities to a satchel we spotted slung over model Sessilee Lopez's arm as she previewed the new Anna Sui for Target "Gossip Girl" line a couple days prior.

We did a little digging and found out both bags are by up-and-coming designer Khirma (pronounced "Erma") Eliazov, a former freelance accessories and market editor at Vogue, Teen Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. She was named one of "the four most buzzworthy entrants into the world of accessories" by WWD in April.

After launching her debut collection earlier this year, the designer is living up to that hype and wasting no time getting her pieces onto some of the most coveted shoulders, laps and elbows in town, including those of Leighton Meester and Rihanna.

Sessilee Lopez checking out Anna Sui for Target's Gossip Girl collection

Model Sessilee Lopez, with her Khirma Eliazov bag, checking out Anna Sui's collection for Target at Fashion's Night Out. Photo: Jemal Countess, Getty Images

The buyers at New York City's Henri Bendel were so impressed by the young designer's Fall 2009 collection -- think slouchy calfskin leather and organic canvas bags featuring an exotic shagrin front panel and a sophisticated navy, cream, gray and eggplant palette -- that the luxe department store is hosting an exclusive trunk show for Eliazov through tomorrow, 10 am - 7 pm ET, on the second floor of its Fifth Avenue flagship.

You can even meet the designer, who will be on hand to greet customers. But, If you're several states away or out of town, don't fret, StyleList caught up with the bag lady du jour for an exclusive chat.

StyleList: How do you feel now that celebrities are wearing your bags?
Khirma Eliazov: Honestly, it's a proud feeling when I see anyone wear my bags. It's amazing to see something come from my vision into an actual end product and then have a total stranger fall in love with it. For celebs to wear them means a lot, as well, because I know they get inundated with tons of products like I did when I was an editor. To see that out of all of those other choices they share the same vision I had and wear it out and about, is an honor.

StyleList: How would you describe the line?
KE:
My mantra is feminine, functional and timeless. Once I keep that in focus everything else falls together. It's a refined style mixed with practical elegance, and I think about women who are caught between board meetings, shopping for groceries and a cocktail event at the MET. They get all the functional elements of the bag along with the aesthetics from the custom-made gold hardware and the python and watersnake skins.

StyleList: Is it easier being a designer or an editor?
KE:
I would say they both have their challenges. Being an editor, I was able to see the trends from across the board because I was always in front of everything coming out and could see what would work and what wouldn't, but my passion in accessories wasn't being totally fulfilled. Being on the other end now, I still use my knowledge from being an editor, knowing the pitfalls I saw other designers have and that's where I strengthen my own line. I definitely have to say being a designer and seeing the joy another woman gets from one of my bags is so rewarding.

And check out these other amazing bags spied at Spring 2010 Fashion Week.

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