Simone Handbag Museum
This must-visit for fashionistas, shopaholics, and girls that go cuckoo for Chanel is located on the boutique-studded strip of Gangnam's Garuso-gil. The museum is housed in an eye-catching building with a glass façade and a roof made to resemble purse handles (an architectural design no doubt fabricated to lure in female passersby). Inside is an impressive collection of handbags; one floor is dedicated entirely to modern fashion styles of the West, while the other features historical handbags dating back to the 1500s. Mannequins are situated throughout the museum to portray how the bags were worn in the past, as well as how the lifestyles' of the various eras influenced design. The designs themselves are intricate and beautiful to look at, but their stories, thoroughly explained in the museum brochure, add educational value to the collection. A workbag from the early 1900s, for example, carried sewing tools; the muff purse of the 1950s kept hands protected from chilly winter winds; the long handles of the beaded bags of the 1920s allowed for movement while dancing in the era's swing clubs. But, let's be honest...who cares about history when some of the finest designs from the world's top designers are within arm's reach, catalyzing desires for shopping sprees and impulse buys? Fortunately, those with bag envy don't have to go far, as fashion enthusiasts can also create their own handbags with the gorgeous, high-quality materials on sale in the "Material Bazaar." Choose from a variety of imported leather and suede materials, each showcasing different colors, textures, and patterns. Then, watch Korean artisans cut, strip, and sew your pick into a one-of-a-kind handbag. It'll cost you, but you'll no doubt be the envy of all your fashion-forward friends back home.
This must-visit for fashionistas, shopaholics, and girls that go cuckoo for Chanel is located on the boutique-studded strip of Gangnam's Garuso-gil. The museum is housed in an eye-catching building with a glass façade and a roof made to resemble purse handles (an architectural design no doubt fabricated to lure in female passersby). Inside is an impressive collection of handbags; one floor is dedicated entirely to modern fashion styles of the West, while the other features historical handbags dating back to the 1500s. Mannequins are situated throughout the museum to portray how the bags were worn in the past, as well as how the lifestyles' of the various eras influenced design. The designs themselves are intricate and beautiful to look at, but their stories, thoroughly explained in the museum brochure, add educational value to the collection. A workbag from the early 1900s, for example, carried sewing tools; the muff purse of the 1950s kept hands protected from chilly winter winds; the long handles of the beaded bags of the 1920s allowed for movement while dancing in the era's swing clubs. But, let's be honest...who cares about history when some of the finest designs from the world's top designers are within arm's reach, catalyzing desires for shopping sprees and impulse buys? Fortunately, those with bag envy don't have to go far, as fashion enthusiasts can also create their own handbags with the gorgeous, high-quality materials on sale in the "Material Bazaar." Choose from a variety of imported leather and suede materials, each showcasing different colors, textures, and patterns. Then, watch Korean artisans cut, strip, and sew your pick into a one-of-a-kind handbag. It'll cost you, but you'll no doubt be the envy of all your fashion-forward friends back home.
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