Judith Leiber’s thousands of intricate handbag designs prove there’s nothing she couldn’t create out of Swarovski crystals, rhinestones, and semi-precious stones over her decades-long career. Cats and dogs and swans and penguins? A ruby red slice of watermelon? A pink-frosted cupcake? Yes, yes, and yes. Her menagerie of minaudières remain a favorite, from Upper East Side salons to the red carpet at every single award show, and can retail for $6,000 or more.
More than fashion, her pieces are objets d’art, frequently auctioned as such, and the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art holds 80 pieces in their collection. In honor of two New York-area exhibits celebrating the 96-year-old’s life and work—Judith Leiber: Crafting a New York Story opened at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) on April 4, and Brilliant Partners: Judith Leiber’s Handbags and the Art of Gerson Leiber is currently on view at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook—here are five things you may not know about the legendary handbag designer.
A brief history of Judith Leiber’s handbags
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From: Elle USA
