By Bag Snob Tina on March 6, 2012 6:00 am Tina Craig

Stuart, oh, Stuart, how you make a snob’s heart pound with desire. The Creative Director, who is a London transplant, has gotten deeply in touch with the classic Spanish house of Loewe – on an emotional level, it seems – for Fall 2012. Age-old leather techniques have been appropriated by Vevers for a thrilling mix of old and new. The ready-to-wear is heavy on black, leather, splashes of fur, and Rococo detailing; the bags have lots of the same qualities and if you ask me, they stole the show.

I love my Amazona bag. It’s a dependable classic I pull out season after season. But now that I’ve laid eyes on the “Baroque” embossed details, I realize it’s time to spice up my Loewe collection. This variation melds crackly, pebbly leather with elaborate, swirly flourishes (which were done in a workshop in Córdoba). And the detail of a crystal-encrusted padlock? Divine.

The soft and rounded Arreos, with nifty colosure, poses a tempting alternative, especially if you appreciate a good shoulder-strapped satchel. And the roomier Arco is a great way to mix it up for day. But now that the Amazona clutch is on display, in everything from tasty pink lizard to glossy crocodile to black-and-white calf-hair, it’s clear this is a snob must. The handy slide-through strap will allow me to dangle it from my wrist while holding a glass of bubbly. The perfect topper? I love the juxtaposition of hard buffalo skin nestled up to a fluffy coat of soft pink fur – it just doesn’t get much better than this!