Oh yes - we're having a sale!
All of the eye-catching, eco-chic Escama handbags are on sale in the Bella Figura USA boutique.
Who doesn't love a "green" product? And who doesn't love a "green" product when it's not only functional, but beautiful, to boot?
Well, that describes the Escama handbags, made of recycled aluminum pop tops: beauty with an edge!
Quantities and colors are limited, so don't delay. Shop Now!
They say scent memory is the strongest of all our memories. I've never doubted it.
Think back to an old love - I bet you can still recall their perfume/cologne.
Or have you ever been in a crowd, caught a whiff of a fragrance and turned to see if it was the person from your memory? Or maybe you walked into a room and were momentarily startled - startled because it smelled like the house you grew up in.
Yes, scent memory is very powerful. Why else would fragrance be added to everything from detergents to hotel lobbies?
Here at the boutique, we've all been raving about the wonderful fragrances in our latest sets of organic soaps from our friends at Nesti Dante. The new collection is called Emozione in Toscana. The name, itself, is sublime. These new sets contain six beautiful natural soaps; check out their descriptions:
Scent memory - powerful, evocative, often romantic. Emozione in Toscana - powerful, evocative, definitely romantic.
Romance for $40 a set? Yeah, I'd say that's a really good deal!
Starting today, and it's NO April Fool's joke, our April Savings Event (don't you love it - an event!) In other
words - a SALE - yahoo!
For the first time ever, all of the Barbara SilverStein Jewelry is on sale! Don't miss out on getting these gorgeous, handcrafted pieces at 15% off.
All of the beautiful, organic Bahay Handbags - When city meets straw - are reduced by 10%.
And our entire selection of Escama Handbags - those chic, recycled beauties - are 10% off.
So come visit us! You know we love to see you.
Is there anybody out there who doesn't like fresh bread? Just the thought of warm, crusty baguettes hot from the oven makes me smile with delight.
But do you have the same problem I do? Unless I've bought the bread for a dinner party (and the guests are not of the carb-conscious variety) I always have bread left over. And horror or horrors - it's all dried out and not fit to eat the next day. And yes, I could use it as an ingredient in some other carb-laden, luscious dish: think a traditional panzanella, a savory Southern dressing, or maybe big lovely croutons.
BUT, if I'm pressed for time (and who isn't) I just want some more wonderful bread. Period. I don't want to be in the kitchen deciding on clever ways to use the now "rock hard" bread.
Enter the Bamboo Bag. Very cool - the latest thing in low tech eco-style. It's a storage bag woven of bamboo fibers that comes in either a "Baguette Quiver" or a "Loaf Pouch." So you no longer have to deal
with paper or plastic bags. You take your Bamboo directly to your favorite bakery, fill it up, carry it home, and keep the bread stored inside. (The bamboo has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that stave off staleness.)
Now you can keep your delicious fresh bread around for at least a few days. You know how we love eco-chic products at Bella Figura USA and the Bamboo Bag - we love this! And wouldn't you know - this clever idea was the brainchild of three smart, eco-conscious girlfriends in northern California. These ladies rock!
Check out the bags and purchase on-line at Bamboo Bag.
(Photos courtesy of the website.)
To celebrate Earth Day 2008, we are offering a 15% discount on all products on the Bella Figura USA website (ALL - not just the green items.) The sale is all day tomorrow, April 22.
While we are most known for our green eco-chic items (a fact I'm very proud of), I'm also proud that the other products we carry are all artisan crafted, many by women, and 99% of the companies are family owned. There is a real pride in workmanship and devotion to the highest quality when a family is standing behind the product.
Some of our eco-chic favorites:
De Renaudin Natural Horn Accessories - in Tabletop, Hostess Gifts, Gifts For Him, Jewelry
Bahay Bags - in Handbags
Escama Bags - in Handbags
Tribalinks - in Jewelry
All of these items are not only green - but stylish and sophisticated. And the classy De Renaudin accessories also have GREENPEACE approval.
And no coupons or codes are needed to receive the discount. Just go to checkout as usual, and your items will automatically be discounted.
Yes, finally - I promised last week that we'd have the two new Bahay handbag styles available on the Bella Figura USA site soon - Well, they're here! Or I guess I should say "they're there."
The lovely Samantha, with its tres chic diamond shape, and sophisticated snakeskin on the braided handles, piping and sides.
And the handsome and eye catching Angela - this bag pops with its stunning weave of buntal fibers in classic natural and black.
These handbags are throwbacks to classics from the past - yet totally contemporary and fashion forward! And they're eco-friendly! What more could you ask for?
Be sure and click on the photos to get the full view!
Women's Wear Daily (the Bible of the fashion industry) stated that the style trends for this spring/summer include looks that are bright and cheery while still being sophisticated; and that once again on runways from New York to Paris, it was as much about the handbags and other accessories as it was about the clothes.
This makes me swoon with delight! Why? As I mentioned in an earlier post (Great Things Are On The Way!) 
we fell in love with some wonderful, new straw handbags for this season (they'll be on the Bella Figura USA website pronto); and while they were selected because we were enchanted by them, they are definitely "on trend."
Now I don't advise anyone to chase fashion and try to constantly have the "latest look." That will only lead to fashion disasters - you know the kind where they block out part of the poor woman's face in the magazine, and the title screams DON'T! Furthermore, you could very possibly go broke trying to keep up with every announced trend; and that's certainly not what I want for anyone.
But if you're looking for a way to freshen up last summer's dress, or add a splash of color to your classic neutral ensembles, a new handbag can be just the touch you're looking for. And if you're a Vogue devotee, it proclaimed the clutch as the new season's "star buy." And we've got that too!
And for any color phobics that are thinking, "oh no, very cute but I'm a neutral girl when it come to handbags." Here's a sensational compromise: a medium size tote
of natural colored handwoven pandan fiber topped with sophisticated wood handles. And the icing on the cake: these are all eco-chic products, designed by the lovely and talented Michelle Medeiros.
I'll be writing more about Michelle in later posts; and in addition to the styles shown here, three other great looks will be available soon!
It's no secret that Hollywood stars get the latest and greatest gifts when attending the awards ceremonies. We've all heard about the incredible goodie bags containing fabulous products. This year is no exception and at this year's Grammy Awards all the industry's brightest stars are being treated to a luxury "all-green" gifting retreat.
Last Friday I let everyone in on the news that Bella Figura USA has been invited to participate in the event! 
We were singled out because of our wonderful eco-chic products - including Escama handbags, handwoven shawls (some woven with recycled silk) and the luxurious De Renaudin natural horn products we carry.
I must admit that I'm completely enchanted with our De Renaudin natural horn items. And in NYC this past weekend, I met with some of the company reps and learned that they have received GREENPEACE approval. Now that is simply fantastic! It's one thing to say you're "green" and eco-friendly; but to have that designation is quite an achievement. And on top of that, turns out Oprah has purchased a number of the horn items for her California home. Now whether you're a fan or not (I happen to like her mucho) everyone agrees that she has over-the-top fabulous furnishings in her homes!
If you haven't checked out our luxurious green items, I urge you to do so. They are all beautiful, functional and handcrafted according to Fair Trade Practices. Why settle for anything less?
And to celebrate our inclusion in the Grammys, we're going to donate 5% of each order placed on the website between February 8 through February 22, to MusiCares, the charitable arm of the Recording Industry that helps people in the music business in times of financial, medical and personal need. And the donation is NOT linked to "green" items only - the donation includes ALL merchandise purchased. As we state in Our Philosophy, we believe that individually and as a company, we are obligated to make positive contributions to our communities. This is one small way we can back our words with deeds.
So what could be better? You can get the fabulous item you've been checking out - and know that your purchase has also helped someone in need!
Rumor has it that it is getting very hard - if not downright impossible - to find some of the ESCAMA handbags. Well, being the civic-minded folks that we are, we feel it's our duty to let it be known that, yes, we do still have some ESCAMA in stock!!
We too are running low on inventory; however, we still have a few (and I mean a VERY few) ESCAMA Chica Rosa cases,
a few ESCAMA Francisca bags, some ESCAMA Tonia clutches and
several ESCAMA Socorro handbags. We have an assortment of colors, 
including silver, champagne, olive and black. And in the fabulous Tonia
clutch, we also have a few of the platinum (white) left.
Additionally, we have the ESCAMA Masha handbag in black, and the ESCAMA Luci tote (also in black).
It's easy to see why the ESCAMA bags have become scarce. They're truly a terrific product: beautiful, clever, functional - and they're produced by two women's craft cooperatives in Brazil (in accordance with Fair Trade Principles.)
Then on top of all that - they are just SO eco-chic! Post-consumer recycled aluminum pull-tabs, hand crocheted together into a fabulous handbag. How can you top that? Gorgeous - and with a social conscience.
So hurry and visit our store on the web, BELLA FIGURA USA. We have no doubt that our stock of ESCAMA will also be gone in a very short time.
Leading luxury tour operators, Abercrombie & Kent, have been on our list of favorite tour companies for a long time (see “Try These Luxury Tour Operators,” posted September 2007). However, since we periodically highlight favorite “green” products; we felt they deserved some additional attention.
Abercrombie & Kent as a company, states unequivocally its dedication and responsibility to protect the environment, and the local cultures of the places they visit. To that end, the company created the 
Abercrombie & Kent Global Foundation that supports sustainable conservation worldwide. The Foundation’s projects span seven continents. To read more: go to A & K Global Foundation
We love their philosophy and operating principles; as they are right in line with what we aspire to. When we go on buying trips for Bella Figura USA we are as interested in who we’re buying from, as in the attributes of the actual product. This is to make sure that we are following our own company philosophy of promoting Fair Trade practices, and supporting those who adhere to principles of protecting their local environment.
Why is this of any importance to you, our customers? When you buy our products, you are supporting independent artisans, small work shops (usually family owned), and local women’s cooperatives. Work production and wages are set by the artisans – no sweat shops, no child labor, no factories spewing pollution into the atmosphere. You get a beautiful, handcrafted item, often one of a kind; and you also get the peace of mind that comes from knowing your purchase helped – not harmed – another human being. Luxury with a conscience – it doesn’t get any better.
