Byline: Gillian Welsh and Liza Wallace
SEX has truly arrived in the city - in the shape of a handbag. What women want more than anything, apparently, is a Louis Vuitton 'Speedy'.
When the luxury goods company opened a store in Edinburgh last month - it's only temple to wealth outside London - stocks of the sought-after accessory sold out almost immediately despite the 270 pound price tag.
LED Flexible Strip Crystal Series: Crystal 3528Some shoppers were told they could go on a waiting list, others that the list had "closed". The handbag has always commanded a special place in a woman's wardrobe. From the girly-girl through the fashion editor to the power granny, the handbag is for many a statement more important than a declaration of war.
When Carrie from the television series Sex and the City was confronted by a mugger with the words: "Give me your bag lady," her reposte: "That's not a bag - it's a Baguette," said it all. The 'Baguette', resembling a loaf of bread, was introduced in 1997 by Fendi and has sold more than half a million at between pound sterling250 and pound sterling3,500 each.
Demand for the new Speedy, a mini-holdall, was so high when it went on sale at Louis Vuitton's London store on Bond Street it opened two hours early.
The boom in designer clothing and accessories, fuelled by celebrity endorsements from stars, has meant fashion companies have often been unable to meet demand.
The bag is the result of a recent collaboration between designer Marc Jacobs and the Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.
Experts say the pair have created a lighter and brighter feel for the Catalog Printing Louis Vuitton brand and that their designs are a well-groomed step up from the earthy colours of the company's traditional logo, much beloved by stars such as Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Lopez.
The bright pinks, acid blues and fresh whites of its current incarnation are without doubt responsible for the extraordinary fight for a bag among Scotland's glamour set.
The Edinburgh store will not disclose the expected delivery date for the next batch of Speedys, and says it will attempt to sell the goods on a first-come, first-served basis.
But the good news around the dinner-party tables is that although the
embroidered patches wait might be a long one, the Speedy is being released into several branches worldwide over the next few seasons in an attempt to keep up with demand.
"The Speedy feels as if it's a limited edition, but it will be part of Autumn Winter collection," promised Ms Hales.
The new store opened in Multrees Walk, the pound sterling30 million retail development off St Andrews Square, in March, beside Harvey Nicks.
Speaking at the time, Xavier de Royere, managing director of Louis Vuitton UK, was full of praise for Edinburgh.
"Edinburgh is renowned for its unique cultural heritage and modernity, a spirit that mirrors the essence of Louis Vuitton.
"We are extremely excited to bring Louis Vuitton to Edinburgh. A store in Scotland marks an important evolution of our business in the United Kingdom," he said.
The fashion house dates back to 1853, when the company's founding father, Louis Vuitton, was employed to pack French Empress Eugenie's wardrobe during the second empire of Napol
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