DALLAS, TX.- On Dec. 3, Heritages Winter Luxury Accessories Signature® Auction will celebrate the holiday season with an exceptional offering of Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton, including select runway and collectors pieces by Chanel artistic director Matthieu Blazy. Three specialized collections broaden the offering: Judith Leibers fanciful crystal minaudières, the understated handbags of The Row and vintage Chanel jewelry.
This auction gives collectors so many ways to express their personal style, says Diane DAmato, Heritages Director of Luxury Accessories, Private Sales & The Boutique. There are exceptional Hermès bags for someone who has been waiting for a particular piece, wonderfully imaginative Chanel designs and Judith Leiber clutches that bring a sense of joy to dressing. It is a fantastic opportunity to find something special for the holidays, whether as a gift or for your own collection.
Among the highlights is the Hermès 30cm Matte White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Birkin, considered the pinnacle of luxury handbags. Its carefully graduated color moves from smoky gray to luminous white, recalling the snowcapped mountains that give the design its name. Palladium hardware complements the subtle coloring and craftsmanship of this exquisite bag that is as coveted as it is rare.
The limited-edition Hermès 30cm Black Côte à Côte Tuffetage & Swift Leather Birkin offers another distinctive interpretation of the houses signature silhouette. Vertically ribbed tufting gives the bag a plush, velvety texture, framed by smooth black Swift leather and finished with palladium hardware.
The Côte à Côte is such an interesting black Birkin because the texture does so much of the work, DAmato says. The contrast between the smooth leather and the plush detailing gives a familiar shape a very different character.
Color also plays a prominent role in the auctions Hermès selection. A 35cm Shiny Rose Scheherazade Porosus Crocodile Birkin is joined by a 35cm Shiny Bleu Marine Porosus Crocodile Kelly Sellier in a deep shade of blue. At a smaller scale, 20cm Metallic Mini Kellys in Doré Chèvre and Argent Chèvre bring gold and silver tones to the offering. The limited-edition bags, released to coincide with the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, recall Hermès coveted metallic leathers associated with the 2004 Athens Olympics.
The Hermès offering extends to fine jewelry, including a 16mm 18k Rose Gold Full Diamond Pavé Kelly Watch with a detachable padlock and diamond-set rose gold bracelet.
Chanel highlights include iconic designs by Karl Lagerfeld, led by the Runway White Quilted Lambskin Hula Hoop XL Bag. Presented during Chanels Spring/Summer 2013 runway show, the oversized bag, one of the rarest ever created, takes the houses quilted handbag into strikingly theatrical proportions. Lagerfeld conceived the circular design for the beach, with room for a towel and a frame that could be set in the sand. The XL edition was never produced for retail sale, and only a few prototypes were made, making its appearance at auction a rare opportunity to acquire one of his most imaginative designs.
A private collection of The Row offers a quieter approach to luxury. Founded in 2006 by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, the label emphasizes materials, craftsmanship and proportion. The selection centers on the Margaux offered in multiple sizes, leather types and colors and also includes the clean-lined Marlo tote. The breadth and exceptional condition of this collection give admirers of The Row an opportunity to seek out a particular combination of size, color and leather.
Whimsy takes center stage in a private collection of Judith Leiber minaudières. Inspired by art, nature and travel, these meticulously crafted clutches are sculpted, molded and painted before crystals are individually applied. Their appeal as objects of art as well as accessories has brought Leibers work to museums including Londons Victoria and Albert Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute.
Among other highlights, the collection includes a Black & White Crystal Shy Penguin, a multicolored Floral Crystal & Cabochon Lion and a Pink & Black Crystal Pig. Each brings Leibers humor and attention to detail to a compact, crystal-covered form.