Botkier for Target

Am I the only one chronically obsessed with Target. Its a one stop shop. I can shop for clothes, read my mags, scan for a new portable DVD player and if I get hungry...there's a food aisle.

How do they do it?

But what I love most are the GO! International collections. So far I've scored a vest by Libertine, a shirt by Proenza Schouler (loveee), and a pair of shoes by Loeffler Randall, and a Rogan miniskirt that proved to be too mini so I gave it to my 10 year old cousin.

Now Monica Botkier is doing a collection...and I couldn't be more excited.

Here's the story:

Monica Botkier was a fashion photographer for magazines like Seventeen and Marie Claire. As she looked for a bag which was stylish, capacious, and comparitively affordable, she drew up a design of her ideal purse, had it made up by a downtown bagmaker, and began to carry her new creation daily. When her editor clients started to ask where she found her fabulous bag, Botkier decided to make up more of her design and the brand was born.

The first Botkier creation was the Trigger bag, a street-smart day-to-hip-evening satchel, roomy enough to carry anything you could ever need to shlep around the city, trim enough to look pulled together and loaded with just-edgy-enough details (liked rugged zippers) to look cool. Although it was made of super-supple leather and sturdy hardware, it retailed for around half what many other designer bags cost (in the $500 range). And the Trigger mixed a ladylike sensibility with a tough "don't mess with me" sensbility in equal parts, making it modern, 24-hours-a-day wearable, and unquestionably rooted in New York. A buzz grew around the bag, which quickly became an "it" bag itself, carried by celebs and available at tastemaker boutiques and department stores across the country.

Four years later, the brand has evolved beyond its original trademark bag (which is still offered in new leather colors each season and remains popular); Botkier has grown to include clutches, small leather goods, and a limited edition of belts. The foundation of the brand remains its distinctive details, like horn-like brass closures, punky gnommets, and oversized pockets, but other carry-them-daily staples have been created, like the Bianca (basically, your Grandmother's purse gone to the East Village for a night of drinking and rock 'n' roll) and the Crosby (the ultimate bag for a chic gallery owner or Tribeca-based exec). Monica Botkier's inspiration remains her own handbag needs, which today include room for toys and sippy cups for her young daughter, as well as those of her feet-on-the-ground customers who are, as she puts it, "modern women, who are busy, appreciate luxury but demand utility with a sexy edge."

Botkier's bags, belts, and small leather goods are available at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, boutiques nationwide, and online at www.botkier.com

And now, those of us who don't have $500 for a bag can get one (or two or three) for about $20-$50. The collection is running from July 20 to September 14.

Sweet deal...

here are a few pics that I've managed to get from several online sites (gotta love Google). These are my favorites actually...there are loads more:

So...is it worth going out to purchase or are ya'll gonna pass?