The Art of the Bag

The designs also include wallets, organizers, card cases and colorful leather gloves—wrist-length to gauntlet, triple buttoned or bowed. To be blunt, this collection knocks the straps off other comparable handbag collections.

For men, there are carryalls and cases. The Tiffany Charles brief comes in onyx or espresso box calf, polished and streamlined. The Blake leather tote is casual, and the Newport satchel is offered in fabric or leather with a strap or handle and appropriate pockets or zippers with hand-turned corners. Leather and alligator billfolds, card cases and Napa leather gloves with cashmere lining and contrast stitching round out the collection.

“We were inspired by the exploration of Tiffany’s jewel box,” the partners tell me. ”What we found was both fascinating and inspirational. The legacy of quality, fine materials and expert craftsmanship is apparent now and was then. The leather collection is the latest in that legacy.”

These boys are well trained, with backgrounds that impressed Tiffany executives.

Lambertson began his career in the visual department of Saks Fifth Avenue and later worked in the fashion office of Bergdorf Goodman and as a buyer and accessories creator at Barneys New York. In 1990, he was named design director at Gucci, where he helped relaunch the brand after a few frustrating years. When he returned to New York from Italy, he took a job as CEO of Geoffrey Beene and later became senior vice president and creative director at Bergdorf Goodman.

When Truex graduated from University of Cincinnati in 1985, he relocated to Manhattan and joined the accessories house of Carlos Falchi, where he became vice president of design. In 1996, he was named director of design and sourcing for Calvin Klein, a position he held until he hooked up with Lambertson to form their partnership.

“We work together as a team,” says Truex. “One of us starts the story and the other ends it. We find it’s wonderful having someone to bounce ideas off or to take an idea and add to it. We don’t do this alone. We have a wonderful support team that follows our every move to be sure our ideas are carried out. We meet often during the day and usually work on three things at once. Then we walk the dog!”

The designers, who live seasonally in Palm Beach, are always thinking ahead in the quest to continually be creative and fresh for Tiffany. Spring was all about color evolution and incorporating sea rose, chartreuse and coral into the mix. They use festive, bright and appropriate colors, then tone down the palette for winter. All of these color and neutrals do well in Florida.

“Luxury is a combined appreciation for passionate design, fine materials and quality craftsmanship,” says Lambertson. “While the boundaries of what is thought to be luxurious may differ from one era to the next, luxury is quintessentially timeless in the same fashion as Tiffany’s jewelry designs. I think now more than ever that true luxury has a place in the world. People are looking for quality and brands they can trust.”