Zambos & Siega is a handbag brand that is slowly gaining popularity among celebrities. This is actually not a surprise since Karen Zambos, co-designer of the brand (Lisa Siega is the other designer), owns her own Vintage Couture clothing line that’s hot in Hollywood. Thus, getting the celebrities to wear the handbags was probably an easy task.

Here’s Ashlee Simpson sporting a black Zambos & Siega Samantha Clutch

Did I mention that the Zambos & Siega Twiggy clutch was also seen on Blair Waldorf in one of the Gossip Girl episodes? Appearing in this highly watched TV series most likely increased its popularity, no doubt.

Here’s Leighton Meester, a.k.a. Blair Waldorf, carrying a white Zambos & Siega Twiggy Clutch in one of the Gossip Girl Episodes

If you’re slowly becoming a fan of Zambos & Siega, check out this chic and elegantly crafted Brigitte Oversized Clutch. It is made of woven raffia in basket weave pattern, with cut out handles, and canvas trim.

The Zambos & Siega Brigitte Oversized Clutch

A look at the interior of the Zambos & Siega Brigitte Oversized Clutch

And because it is oversized, you can actually put more of your stuff without having to worry about leaving some of your essentials behind, which is what usually happens when using a small bag.

This is the perfect clutch to use if you want to put some personality into an outfit. And, it is also an ideal accessory for spring and summer!

Shop the Zambos & Siega Brigitte Oversized Clutch at Shopbop.com

If you’re on the look-out for a woven handbag and don’t know where to start looking, here are a few brands to consider. Bear in mind though, that you will also have to consider the amount you are willing to spend for this woven piece of accessory.

Bottega Veneta US$1500-Above

For those who are willing to spend, Bottega Veneta should be your first choice. This brand is quite famous for its Intrecciato line of bags. Intrecciato is a weaving technique used exclusively by the brand to create its highly coveted woven handbags that simply exude top-quality, hand-crafted, workmanship. This is also THE iconic brand for woven bags. A classic example is the Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Campana.

Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Campana

Rafe New York US$220-US$800

This brand offers a different take on woven handbags as the designer, Rafe Totengco, uses different materials to create covetable pieces that are a mix of east and west. Bags from Rafe New York look very distinct and finely made. A few examples are the following:

Latest release is the Rafe New York Mandy Medium Hobo

The Rafe New York Cristina Rattan Clutch

Francesco Biasia US$160 – US$600

Francesco Biasia offers unique and interesting woven handbags you will not find elsewhere. The designs from this brand are stylish but practical; the outcome is a line of versatile handbags that can be worn anywhere with anything. A few examples are the following:

Francesco Biasia Miss Allie Small Shopper made of woven lame fabric

Francesco Biasia Freedom Small Tote

Cole Haan US$190-US$450

Although more well-known for its quality footwear, Cole Haan also offers a good number of woven handbags as it expanded into this segment using its expertise in leatherwear. Take a look at these bags from the Prudence and Genevieve collections:

Cole Haan Prudence Soft Small Tote

Cole Haan Genevieve Small Carpet Bag

Elliot Lucca Handbags US$140-US$300

A brand that offers value-for-money is Elliot Lucca Handbags. Every season, this brand never fails to release a few woven handbag pieces to suit the needs of the budget conscious. A few examples are the following:

Elliot Lucca Handbags Neila Hobo

Elliot Lucca Handbags Casares Hobo

Shop for woven bags at Zappos.com and Bagsbuy.com to enjoy discounts on certain selections.

This site would not be complete without a write-up on the most iconic woven bag of all time – The Bottega Veneta Intrecciato bag.

The Intrecciato line is what put Bottega Veneta on the map of icons alongside Chanel’s 2.55 Flap Bag and many other iconic brands that have made their mark in the history of fashion. It is symbolic to the brand and vise versa. A few of the brand’s iconic bags are the following:

The Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Campana

The Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Cabat

The Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Knot

Intrecciato is actually an Italian word for weave.

To give you a brief history, this weaving technique was born in the 1960’s out of a need for the brand to create leather accessories in a region that was specialized only in the production of clothing, and equipped only with sewing machines designed specifically for cloth.

In order to work with the existing machines, Bottega Veneta had to innovate. The artisans of Bottega Veneta used very fine leather strips that could be sewn under the needle of these machines. However, because the material was very thin, it had to be woven together to make it strong and durable enough to be made into accessories. This is how the Intrecciato was born.

If you find the price of a Bottega Veneta Intrecciato bag too high, it is not without reason.  Each bag is hand crafted by highly skilled artisans who take approximately two (2) days to work on one (1) bag!

These artisans work diligently to create the weaving pattern that we very much love, making sure that no seams or stitches are seen. The finished product is seamless, a one-piece continuous work of art (a great example is the Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Cabat). This is a very important defining element of a Bottega Veneta Intrecciato bag.

The latest variant of the Bottega Veneta Intrecciato bag to hit the shelves this fall ’09 season is the Tornabouni Intrecciato and it comes in two covet-able shapes as seen below:

Bottega Veneta Nero Intrecciato Tornabouni Boston Bag

The Botega Veneta Nero Intrecciato Tornabouni Top Handle

If you can afford a Bottega Veneta bag (without going hungry, of course) and would like to purchase one, then do so. Because nothing compares to having your own piece of iconic original in the closet.