PHOENIX.- The Phoenix Art Museum presents the exhibit Art in Hand. Judith Leiber, a leader in couture handbags, has created more than 3,000 different designs in a career that began in 1963, and over 100 of them can be seen in this exhibition. Best known for her signature crystal covered minaudieres – small ornamental cases for a woman's cosmetics, jewelry, or personal items – in the fanciful shapes of animals, fruits or anything that inspires her fancy, Leiber’s handbags also are hailed for their incomparable originality and flawless hand craftsmanship. Judith Leiber handbags are collected with passion and can be seen in hand at myriad events from presidential inaugural balls to opera premieres. Her work has made a significant contribution to the style and sophistication of the well-dressed woman. Like Cartier and Tiffany, Leiber’s products have transcended their original function to be regarded as art. She has received many awards for her work, including the Council of Fashion Designers of America Award for Accessories in 1994 – the fashion industry’s equivalent of the Oscar.

Her bags are in the permanent collections of such museums as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian and have been carried by every First Lady since Nancy Reagan. In Hollywood, her handbags have graced the such celebrities as Greta Garbo, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Rivers, Beverly Sills, Barbara Walters, Elizabeth Hurley, Bjork, Renee Zellwegger.