No, it's not a Marc Jacobs, it's a Melie Bianco handbag!

And, at $65.00 you may want to grab one in every color! It's synthetic leather, easy to maintain and has the feel and look of the $1500.00 Marc Jacobs bag. Melie Bianco takes the best of the best and makes a designer handbag we can afford! MELIE BIANCO handbags designer handbag designer purse W7295 tan quilted frame shoulder chain bag. If this design reminds you of a high end designer handbag you are right. All the celebrities carry these shoulder bags and now you can too. Melie Bianco takes the best of the best and makes her designer handbags affordable for the masses. We love Melie Bianco and we are introducing her collection for the first time on DesignersLA. The Melie Bianco handbag line is made of very soft pleather or synthetic leather like material. The sizes are considered medium to large. The Melie Bianco bags have a secure top closure. The bags are fully lined and have extra storage pockets. You will be delighted to add a Melie Bianco handbag to your collection. And at these prices you may want to add several while supplies last. Your Melie Bianco handbag comes complete inside its sleeper bag packaged directly from the Melie Bianco warehouse. Guaranteed authentic. Measurements are approximate. The Melie Bianco handbag measures about 16 x 10 x 4.5 inches with double handles about 21 inches each with about a 6.5 inch drop. There is an additional chain shoulder strap included. See photo. MELIE BIANCO handbags designer handbag designer purse W7295 tan quilted frame shoulder chain bag.

eFashionHouse.com is proud to announce the arrival of Melie Bianco Handbags

DesignersLA now carries fashion forward Melie Bianco handbags which retail for under $100

Melie Bianco as seen in Apparel News.

Sky Valley, CA (PRWEB) January 28, 2008 – Dedicated to offering its clientele designer handbags at off-retail prices, eFashionHouse.com, named Best of the Web by People magazine’s StyleWatch, continues to find ways to pass on even more savings to its valued customers by carrying famed Melie Bianco handbags. Known for creating handbags that are “chic” and “affordable,” Melie Bianco is fast becoming the talk of the town among fashion editors and style mavens alike due to her fashion forward styles and entirely attainable prices.

“We are so excited to carry Melie Bianco in the DesignersLA store. If owning a designer handbag made from the finest craftsmanship for under a hundred dollars seems to good to be true, than you don’t know about Melie Bianco handbags,” says Anna Miller, eFashionHouse.com owner and operator. “Not only do Melie Bianco handbags fit our young, edgy clientele but they work with our customers who are on a budget or don’t like dropping thousands of dollars on a beloved designer handbag.”

A local Los Angeles designer, Melie Bianco handbags can be seen on the arms of Hollywood starlets but are priced so that non-celebrities can be just as fabulous, which is why her collection has been featured in such fashion magazines like Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Self and People StyleWatch and on TV shows like Today Show and Good Day New York.

Made from the softest “butter-like” faux leathers, Melie Bianco handbags feature sleek modern designs, like distressed patent leather, silver python and gathered hobos. Plus for those who are looking for an alternative to leather, all Melie Bianco handbags are made from faux leather (but you’d never know it). And at such affordable prices, $56-$76 depending on the style, Melie Bianco handbags make the perfect gift for friends and family.

One of five eFashionHouse.com online stores, DesignersLA has been operating since 2003 and only carries Los Angeles-based fashion designers. The site carries a wide range of LA designers from local legends like Bells & Whistles and Melvone to household names like Juicy Couture and Trina Turk. Inventory includes handbags, jewelry and more and all items are 100% authentic and below retail.

About eFashionHouse.com
Anna Miller is the President of i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. She operates the website http://www.efashionhouse.com/ and sells high-end authentic designer handbags and accessories at off-retail prices. EFashionHouse.com was named Best of the Web by People Magazine StyleWatch for Discount Designer Handbags and Purses. eFashionHouse.com should not be confused with any other website selling a similar product or using a similar name. EfashionHouse.com is the home of five fashion ecommerce stores: BrandsBoutique, LuxuryVintage, DesignersLA, ItalysOutlet, and ValueBags. Anna is considered an Internet Pioneer & Ecommerce Entrepreneur. She’s been reselling Designer Merchandise online since the early 90s. eFashionHouse.com has an extensive Press Page and a Fashion Blog Network. Visit the site for more details.

Women better protect purses

MELIE BIANCO designer handbag S8-31OR distressed patent circle charms shoulder bag designer purse.

from Contra Costa Times

THE PURSE IS a curse to every woman who dreams of having her hands free. It's a black hole that swallows up coins and car keys and compacts, not to mention other female items, which we feel compelled to carry. And yet, carry them we must. We load up our purses and haul them around because it's our duty. Lord knows, someone might need something and we have to be ready.

The downside of carrying a handbag is the ease with which it can be stolen. In the past week alone, the Town Crier has heard of three purse thefts, including a spate of snatchings at the Safeway on Redwood Road. Police say a man/woman team has been distracting customers in the store and stealing purses from their shopping carts. It's a crime of opportunity and can easily be avoided by wearing one's purse like a necktie. A couple of knots and your strap is secure, only to be stolen if it's ripped from your body.

ANOTHER ALERT: On the topic of crime, police say three armed men hit the parking lot of the Redwood Road Safeway on a recent Sunday afternoon, robbing at least six people who were loading groceries into their trunks. The thugs took off in a waiting car after terrorizing the customers and taking their cash.

SEEING RED: Oakland's plans for a stoplight at Mountain and La Salle have had Montclair residents seeing red for months, now. But their arguments may come to a head Tuesday when the issue is addressed by the City Council's Public Works Committee. Stoplight opponent Derek Liecty says

he'll need a good turnout of "upset Montclair residents" to dissuade members from the project they're "hell-bent" on pushing through. You can e-mail him at spoker@sbcglobal.net for the meeting time and place.

AROUND TOWN: Rumor has it a thrift shop is moving into the Lakeshore Avenue space vacated by KidsGap. Not just any thrift shop, but the chain store called "Out of the Closet," started by Magic Johnson to raise money for the Aids Healthcare Foundation. Even with the star status, not everyone is thrilled to see a popular brand name retailer replaced by a thrift shop -- especially in one of Oakland's most upscale shopping districts.

Speaking of shopping, there's good buzz about the new designer clothing store at 4395 Piedmont Avenue called McMullens. Not only does the owner, Sherri McMullen, have great fashion sense, she offers closet consultations and alterations to help clients optimize their wardrobes. Service and style are two things Sherri learned well - cutting her teeth in retail at Nieman Marcus. This is her first boutique and the fulfillment of a dream. Good luck, Sherri!

ROAD HAZARD: Driving in the hills is challenging enough without having to dodge a sink hole the size of Seattle on Shepherd Canyon Road. Neighborhood activist Mike Petouhoff says the hole could "swallow an entire car" if it weren't covered by a large metal plate. He says it's time for the city to come up with a permanent fix, as the pit only seems to only grow bigger with age.

Leather - Why It's So Bad, What's The Alternative?

Melie Bianco Synthetic Leather Handbags

By Maureen Cram

Are you a vegan? Vegetarian? If so then I expect that you already have your views on why leather is 'bad'. It is a by-product, sometimes referred to as a co-product, of the animal food industry. This article explains more about the 'down' side to leather - the well-known product that is used for all sorts of items, from furniture, car seats and belts to shoes, clothing and handbags.

First of all, what is it? Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides, pelts and skins of animals, primarily cows - but... whose skin are you in? When the milk production of cows on dairy farms decreases, the cows are killed and their skins are made into leather. The hides of their calves, who are frequently raised for veal, are made into high-priced calfskin.

Leather is also made from horses, sheep, lambs, goats, and pigs who are slaughtered for meat. Other species of animals are hunted and killed specifically for their skins, including zebras, bison, water buffaloes, boars, kangaroos, elephants, eels, sharks, dolphins, seals, walruses, frogs, turtles, crocodiles, lizards, and snakes.

But, you say, it looks good and feels good - sitting in your leather couch, your leather car seat, paying your bills with that calf-skin wallet, carrying that leather handbag or briefcase. How about that it wears well? Kangaroo leather is favoured by motorcyclists specifically because of its lighter weight and higher abrasion resistance as compared to cowhide. Leather car seats last longer than material ones, don't they?

There are yes and no comments to that. Leather needs to be chemically treated to ensure it does not rot. Lots of chemicals... Since ancient times, human beings used animal skins and learned to make them leather. The process of using chemicals to turn skins into leather is called tanning. The leather making is a combination of series of processes that starts from skin recovery to curing, soaking and unhairing, deliming and bathing, to vegetable or mineral tanning, lubrication and dyeing, and finally to finishing.

Leather Is Bad for Human Health
Mordants and other chemicals often used to treat leather are linked to nervous disorders, asthma, premature death, gynaecological disorders, weakness, dizziness, headaches, abdominal pain, nausea, constipation, skin and respiratory infections, cancer and other serious illnesses. According to an investigation by the New York State Department of Health, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and other agencies, those who work in tanneries may be greatly increasing their risk of testicular cancer. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in an area near one Kentucky leather tannery, the incidence of leukaemia was five times the national average. Hmm... perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to purchase that leather lounge suite?

Leather Is Bad for the Environment
Although some leather makers deceptively tout their products as "eco-friendly," turning skin into leather also requires massive amounts of energy and dangerous chemicals. Often, animal skins used for leather are kept from biodegrading (going rotten) by using a variety of dangerous substances, including mineral salts (chromium, aluminium, iron and zirconium), formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives and various oils and dyes, some of which are cyanide-based. All waste containing chromium is considered hazardous by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other bodies.

In an attempt to appear environmentally conscious, some tanneries are now trying to make improvements, but even if tanneries did not create any pollution, leather would still be bad for the environment. A spokesperson for the largest supplier of leather to automakers in the US said, 'The last thing we want is people thinking we're burning down rain forests for cattle just to put leather in big sport-utes'. But consider this: nearly half of all water used in the US is used to raise animals for meat and leather! According to the EPA, factory farms are the biggest source of pollution of rivers, streams and lakes. In December 1997, the US Senate Agricultural Committee released a report that stated that animals raised for food and leather produce 130 times as much excrement as the entire human population - without the benefit of waste-treatment systems. A Scripps Howard synopsis of the report stated, 'Catastrophic cases of pollution, sickness, and death are occurring in areas where livestock operations are concentrated'.

Locally (in Africa), since 1988, some 30 tanneries in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, the Sudan, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe have received assistance in pollution control focused on the establishment or upgrading of effluent treatment facilities. Hmmm... it all sounds yucky to me. But what can we use instead of animal leather that is better for us, the animals, the planet?

What about the alternatives?
Many pseudo-leather materials have been developed, allowing those who wish to wear leather-like garments to do so without actually wearing leather. One example of this is vegan microfiber, which claims to be stronger than leather when manufactured with strength in mind. Vinyl materials, Pleather, Durabuck, NuSuede, Hydrolite, and other alternatives exist, providing some features similar to leather. Faux leather made by Ultrafabrics has, according to the company's Web site, 'features to protect the environment like a 100% biodegradable backcloth, no plasticizers, no stabilizers, no adhesives, extensive recycling in the manufacturing process-and no need for potentially toxic after-care'.

You want non-leather handbags, shoes, wallets, belts... there are many reputable companies out there to help you with your new choices. Check out the Internet for names. Yes a lot are in the US and the UK but you can order safely on line. There are plenty of places in South Africa where you can buy faux leather articles... do a search on Google to find out for yourself!

When you buy shoes, check out what they are made of. There should be a label on the bottom or the inside to tell you if the shoe is produced from man-made materials or leather. If you don't see the label, just ask the store manager what they are made from. That is what I do. I always explain that I need to know because I am allergic to leather (morally allergic that is).

What about the leather car seats? Can't order faux leather for them. True. But there are alternatives. Even in high-end vehicles, leather seats are becoming something of an anachronism. Leather seats are hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Yes I know you can get them heated and cooled... but why not help the environment (and the animals too if you care for them) by buying non-leather seats.

Final thought
Wearing leather hurts animals, the environment, and the people who produce it. Care for the planet and all the species that inhabit it by buying readily-available alternatives. For many years I have been interested in the welfare of animals, companion animals and especially farm animals. Being vegetarian for over 45 years and vegan for nearly 10, I felt drawn to helping those that had no voice.

Several years ago, I discovered EFT, when I found I had breast cancer. EFT helped me tremendously to solve the emotional issues that I had rationalized many years before, issues that I thought were resolved but as I found with using EFT, were not! I decided to train further and found I had great empathy for animals. I tried EFT on my own cats for various issues and was amazed how quickly the issues were resolved! I tried EFT on other animals... I was surprised to find that I had success with them!

I then decided that I didn't want to do this... it was too strange, too weird, but with some pushing from my EFT teacher I continued to expand my knowledge about surrogate energy healing. At this time I was also expanding my human EFT practice and was having wonderful success. I now teach humans how to use EFT - on themselves and on their animals - and hold regular training courses in Johannesburg. I also have many international clients (human and animal!) and communicate with them by phone, Skype and e-mail. That is one of the many great things about using EFT... you don't have to be there in person, face to face. Although face to face works great too!