Christian Siriano Launches Handbags

Rotating circle of handbags — (Image credit: COURTESY OF CHRISTIAN SIRIANO, DESIGN BY KATJA CHO)

For the comfortable straps on Christian Siriano's new handbags, you can thank his mom. For the donation to anti-poaching organizations built in with every purchase, you can thank his good friend Alicia Silverstone. And for the sheer day-to-night-and-back-again versatility of the collection, you can give *yourself* a round of applause, because Siriano designed that part with the everywoman in mind.

Kicking off tonight with a star-studded dinner in L.A., the range of affordable ($98–$350) non-leather totes, carryalls, and clutches—and every shape in between—combines elements of Siriano's Morocco-themed spring collection (exotic animal prints) with causes close to his heart (conservancy—and, of course, helping women live their best lives through fashion).

Of the eye-catching elephant charm found dangling from his bags' faux snake and crocodile handles, Siriano said Silverstone's activism inspired the whimsical motif.

"She turned me on to Year of the Elephant, which is about supporting non-poaching," he told MarieClaire.com. "Thousands of elephants are killed every year just for their ivory, so for every bag and charm sold, we're donating to organizations working to end poaching."

Thousands of elephants are killed every year just for their ivory, so for every bag and charm sold, we're donating to organizations working to end poaching.

Tributes to friends and admirers appear elsewhere in the extensive collection sold on Farfetch.com, Bloomingdales.com, and his own website, though perhaps no presence is felt as strongly as Siriano's mother's, for whom he reworked one oft-neglected facet of bag design.

"Bags aren't something you really think about for women of different sizes, but I did," he said. "Even if you see a bag that's short, it always comes with a shoulder strap, because for any woman who's over a size 12, it can be uncomfortable. My mom's voluptuous, and that's inspired by her, because I wanted her to be able to carry all these bags."

And so she shall, with, according to him, a light-up travel mirror and a red lipstick "just in case she has somewhere really fabulous to go later" inside.

Here, a look at the entire collection, available soon on Farfetch.com, Bloomingdales.com, and ChristianSiriano.com:

Inez tote, $176; Sabrina wallet, $110; Sabrina tote, $150; Yasmine satchel, $150; Jamila cross-body, $125; Mini Myriam top-handle, $150; Myriam wallet, $110; Aya tote, $225; Sabrina tote, $150.

Yasmine satchel, $150; Aziza shoulder bag, $175; Nina top-handle, $195; Sabrina tote, $150; Mini Myriam top-handle, $150; Sabrina tote, $150; Myriam wallet, $110; Jamila cross-body, $125; Myriam wallet, $110.

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Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at Marie Claire. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.