We lost a legend recently. A fashion icon. Judith Leiber passed away last month, leaving behind an incredible legacy of fashion art. She lived 97 years, during which she created a brand synonymous with luxury and glamour.
Her clutch bags are both whimsical and dazzling and have been seen accessorizing outfits on celebrities and socialites around the globe, spanning multi-generations. Jennifer Lopez carried one of her clutches at the Met Gala; Barbara Bush not only carried a Leiber bag at her husband’s inauguration, she also gifted one to Raise Gorbachev, wife of the Soviet leader. Greta Garbo, Claudette Colbert, Diana Ross, Nancy Reagan all owned her bags, and Hillary Clinton even ordered one modeled after the family cat, Socks! At this year’s Met Gala, actress Blake Lively paid tribute to Judith Leiber at this year’s Met Gala with a custom-made clutch.
A Judith Leiber bag is truly an Oject d’Art. Her imaginative creations often took on the shapes of animals, flowers, even fruits, alongside her classically shaped square and rectangle boxes. Created first of cardboard, the design was sent to Italy where it was stamped in brass and gold plated before it was returned to the US for rhinestones, colorful beads, and other opulent embellishments.
Judith died literally hours after her husband in their home in Springs, NY. A Hungarian immigrant, Judith met artist Geson Leiber during World War II while he was working as a radio operator.
They were married in 1946 and 
moved to New York, which was his hometown. Together they built an artists’ empire.
To see the collections of Judith Leiber, visit https://www.judithleiber.com/
To learn more about her interesting life, check out the NY Times obituary:
Judith Leiber, 97, Dies; Turned Handbags Into Objets d’Art – The New York Times