Bag of the Week: The Helena de Natalio 'Dulce' Clutch - Stylehive

You€™d think that finding a new bag to flip over on a weekly basis would be hard, right? I mean how many times can you really be wowed? Well, I€™m not jaded yet and there are a flock of talented designers €“ both new and established €“ that keep me salivating and begging for more. In fact, I just had breakfast with one such new designer. Helen Hoppock, founder of Helena de Natalio, has all the makings for handbag superstardom €“ she has an eye for what real women want, she keeps her prices in check (translation: you can actually get a great designer leather bag for under $400!), and she understands that customers now care about the story behind the brand and how the bags are constructed.

So, what€™s so special about Helen and Helena de Natalio handbags? Well first, Helen is like a little Mother Teresa of the handbag world. After being in the Peace Corps, she fell in love with Latin America and decided she wanted to work with bringing unique leather goods across the border to eager U.S. bagistas. Well, one thing led to another and Helen began crafting bags using exquisite Argentinian leather. The abridged version of this story is that for the past 2 years Helena de Natalio has stood for quality handbags produced by local artisans in Argentina, all of whom receive fair wages and benefits and work in appropriate factory conditions.

(I€™m working on a full Q&A with Helen, so keep checking BagTrends.com for that!)

For now, the Helena de Natalio bag that I€™m lusting after is the Dulce clutch. It€™s an oversized shape, without being too grandiose and obnoxious in size. The little antique copper button is really such a soft hardware element that complements the clutch's feminine scalloped detailing and soft metallic finish. You have to feel this leather to really appreciate it. The hidden pop-opening allows you to get in and pack this clutch with a ton of essentials.

At $262 it€™s certainly not cheap, but in my opinion it€™s a great deal. I can€™t wait until this style is available in black. You know me and my black bags! You just can€™t go wrong with the classics.