by Meredith Fisher
With the debut of Gryson, you can have your luxe bag trimmings and eat dinner out, too. "We wanted to create a line of handbags that possessed an achievable luxury," says Joy and Peter Gryson, the husband-and-wife team behind their namesake collection. Striking this balance between extravagance and relative affordability (the bags do start at $500) wasn't easy, but the former Calvin Klein alums refused to compromise on quality. "We have spent considerable time in Italy developing the product so that it would meet our standards and reflect the Florence-meets-TriBeCa mentality that we're looking to inspire."
From left: Rachel and Ava handbags from the fall/winter collection.
After just one season, names like Olivia (named for their daughter), Rachel, and Lexi have already inspired envy from downtown to uptown. "Every bag is named after a child we know and falls into a different style category, each with its own specific feel and direction," says Joy. There's the Pocket group, a range of duffle bags characterized by a snap-front pocket and braided leather handles, that goes from over-the-shoulder chic to slouchy soft with an easy snap. "The shoulder strap can even be thrown over your side like a messenger bag," demonstrates Joy, "the ambiguity of the shape is really what makes the bag so versatile."
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More structure is found in the Trigger group (Zoe, Ava, and Sophie), a collection identified by equestrian styled trigger lock hardware. Even more understated and classic is the Buckle group, a ladylike selection of shoulder bags reminiscent of another classic It bag, the Stella. Considering Joy spent three years designing accessories at Marc Jacobs, it's no surprise that all her new designs seek to bridge the gap between fashion and function. "We don't want the line to be entirely trend-driven and defined by one bag," says Joy. "Gryson isn't just about what people want during that specific season, but about what you'll want to carry three, five, even ten years down the road."We don't want the line to be entirely trend-driven and defined by one bag. Gryson isn't just about what people want during that specific season, but about what you'll want to carry three, five, even ten years down the road.
From left: Kaitlin and Zoe handbags from the fall/winter collection.
Gryson bags are available at Steven Alan, 103 Franklin Street, (212) 343-0692; www.gryson.com. Note: Site was "under construction" at press time.
A passion for fine Italian leathers, suede linings, and handcrafted hardware is no longer synonymous with bounced rent checks.