Olympia Le-Tan 'Book Clutch': Not just for Book-Worms

I don't know about you but I love seeing people carry books around- whether it be a raggedy novel or even someone's dissertation. There's just something so vintage about it, almost romantic, and makes me think of lazy summer afternoons reading the well thumbed pages of a classic on the heath. But then how are you meant to look relaxed and carefree balancing book carrying with handbag carrying? So it was with some excitement that I spied Clémence Poésy (LOVE HER, so chic- so French) teaming a book-clutch with Autumn/Winter Chanel at the London Harry Potter premier. A clutch disguised as a book? Inspired! It makes me so very happy to see that books are making a comeback, and this version is way more chicer than it's 'rolled up magazine' counterpart- never did really catch on to that one, even though Carrie was a sporter. Perhaps there's something about a vintage book? Ooo I can picture having this and putting it in my vintage wicker bicycle basket (yet to buy this but we can dream huh?)

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Paris based designer Olympia Le-Tan created the box clutch bags, each with cult favourite book covers- think 'Catcher In The Rye' and 'Lolita'- not 'He's Just Not That Into You'. My personal favourite (having actually soldiered on with this book- I was rewarded though- it's great) is George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' or director Jean Cocteau's 'La Belle et La Bête' (Beauty and The Beast), Poésy's current clutch:

Each design is lovingly handmade in Paris and as you can see from the photos they are incredibly detailed. I love how the lining looks like the patterned endpaper of a book. Just beautiful. They are available worldwide- Londoners can find them at Browns.


So in an age of kindles and e-books, who knows, perhaps we're all falling in love with books again? I certainly hope so.

All Olympia Le-Tan photos taken from their Facebook page. For stockists go to http://www.olympialetan.com/ Priced at around £895.

UPDATE: Natalie Portman at the 'Black Swan' New York film premier last night clutching an Olympia Le-Tan Lolita. Ahh want even more now:

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