Left: Sydney in green Italian lambskin Right:Josie in white coated canvas and leather trim
Kelly and I met bag designer Joy Gryson and her husband Peter on one of our trips to New York last year and absolutely adored them. The fact that Joy is one of the most talented bag designers (remember when Marc Jacobs’ bags made you weep? Joy was the force behind classics like the ultra popular Venetia bag!) is no secret but many don’t know the support she receives from her hubby Peter on the business end of the Gryson line. Who better to watch your back than the guy you had a baby with right? (the couple have a cute little tot named Olivia). For Spring, Gryson’s Sydney bag in supple Italian lambskin is edgy and fun. It has funky hidden vertical pockets on the front exterior and a shoulder strap on hinge with a detachable body strap (for our college students!) I love the spring-y green color contrasted with lavender suede detail, at $875, Gryson Sydney Shoulder Bag fits the most requested bag price range from our readers (under $1,000). Seriously, there are no better bags than Gryson at this price point. Gryson’s version of the must have summer canvas bag, the Josey, has a coating which gives it a patent sheen, trimmed in shiny white leather, it’s the ultimate summer indulgence! Gryson Josey Twill/Leather Bag
-$775 at Saks.
i have a gripe about gryson and don’t agree with your endorsement. First of all, the leather is stick hard and far from “supple”. Second, the small strap leather to close the Josey bag is flimsy and wears out as the leather began to split apart after two weeks of use. i will never buy gryson again, no matter how chic they look.
P.S. the only reason i opted to buy a gryson was because of the delicious green color josey bag from last spring.
just my thoughts….
I too think Gryson designs are amazingly chic. But I had a bad experience myself a year ago when the line first launched- luckily the store took it back. Such a shame because the bag was really hot.
I am tempted by the Sydney bag in green lined in pale purple. It’s absolutely stunning. Good thing it’s at Saks because they have a great return policy.
If you are right and they have left the quality issue behind, I am open to trying out another Gryson bag. I just hope it doesn’t fall apart.
wgs- I am so sorry to hear of your experience. we spoke to the Grysons extensively about the quality issue and they have really taken strides to fix it. as with any new business involving manufacturing, there are kinks to iron out. I got the Laura tote from the new season and had no problems with it. I even got one for my attorney for christmas.
if you go see the new sydney, the lambskin is softer than their previous bags. as you said, the bag designs are so chic! let’s hope they have left the bad quality issues in the past because Joy is a true talent. xo
I hope you are right Tina. The designs are great but the leather is tough and not supple at all…hopefully things have changed for the better as the price points are awesome.
Hi girls,
I suggest you go to Saks to see for yourselves
Most Gryson bags are made of tough leather, but that is the part of the urban design. The lambskin is the softest them all, but don’t expect Chanel lambskin at $800 
Joy is such a talent it would be a shame if you refrained from her bags because of the first manufacturing plant she worked with in Italy. I know she traveled there almost monthly, you have no idea what goes into a bag line!
Kelly and I entertained the idea of our own bag line and consulted with Joy and Peter at length about it. After much consideration, we decided it is just too much for us to handle. Especially if you do not have a person full time in Italy watching over the manufacturer, you are really at their mercy.
Thanks for your comments.
xo
Dear Bag Snob Tina,
You should really go for your own bag line! I for one would be queuing up to buy one! I actually logged into this thread not to comment on the Gryson bags but to ask you if you might help me identify a bag. Sorry, very cheeky of me! I saw it recently from a distance and have been tearing my hair out ever since trying to find it. It is rectangular in shape, made out of what looked like black metal mesh and it had a large-ish triangular metal gold plate hanging over from the top of the bag. I thought that it may have been the Jimmy Choo Chrissy bag but that has a metal plate right through the middle and I am sure that the metal plate I saw on this bag was triangular in shape. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
I think I’ve answered my own question. After surfing the net for mesh bags I am pretty sure it was a Felix Rey Allison shoulder bag.
the design is good, hope the other thing will also very good