Unlikely Collaborators? Nicole Richie and Gywneth Paltrow Partner to Launch a Handbag Collection

Pictured: The Addison bag on sale at GOOP for mere $225.00

The recession continues to bring together unlikely fashion collaborators and multiple celebrities becoming designers. Both Nicole Richie and Gywneth Paltrow  are celebrities who have parlayed their red carpet style into the business of fashion.   Gywneth Paltrow has her GOOP website, offering fashion information and ecommerce items for sale.  Nicole has clothing lines of her own (House of Harlow, Macy’s Impulse and QVC) and regular appearance on Fashion Star to bolster her burgeoning fashion empire.  So what could be more perfect, and perhaps, more monetarily successful than Nicole and  Gywneth partnering?   In case you haven’t heard, the two “friends” have collaborated on an exclusive handbag collection to be sold on GOOP.  Seriously, only a celebrity could launch a website called GOOP and have it be successful. For most retailers, the name GOOP would be fashion suicide. Here’s the back story on this collaboration.

Nicole’s House of Harlow is bringing out a “limited edition” series of handbags to be sold exclusively on GOOP.   “As an avid goop follower, I was thrilled with the idea of a collaboration between goop and House of Harlow 1960.  The Addison is an essential style in the House of Harlow 1960 family and was a perfect choice to connect to the goop aesthetic,” says Ms. Richie. Blah, blah, blah. The first handbag is called the Addison handbag and it looks like many vintage bags I have seen from the 1950s and 1960s.  The Addison is more upscale of course than any ordinary vintage bag. The bag has a snakeskin design and a deep oxblood coloring with undertones of teal. The part of the bag I like the best is the Jaguar head clasp.  The part I like the least is the bag’s $225.00 price tag. I think that’s a little steep for something sold only over the Internet.  I’ll be anxious to see how many of these sell before they go on sale at a reduced price.  Nicole’s collection for Macy’s has sold very well, but the price point was significantly less. What do you think readers? Are you interested in an over $200.00 clutch bag sold by two celebrities? Just wondering 🙂