Judith Leiber Passes Away at 97

Hailed as the Faberge’ of handbags by Vogue, Judith Leiber and her husband, artist Gersen Leiber, both passed two hours apart this past Saturday after 72 years of marriage. Talk about a real life ride or die. 

Judith Leiber was known for her luxury clutches that were often embellished with Swarovski crystals with interesting designs. From camera’s to frogs, there was nothing normal about Leiber’s bags. 

 “She was really the inventor of the handbag as a work of art,” James Mischka of a Badgley Mischka. Launched in 1963, Leiber sold her company in 1993 but continued to design for the company for another 5 years until she retired at 77! In 1994, she won Accessories Deisgner of the Year at the Council of Fashion Designers along with tons of other awards and accolades. Throughout her career, Judith Leiber created over 4000 designs and had tons of fan that collected her work! 

Judith was in the process of buying back archival designs to display them along side her husband’s artwork  at her museum in East Hampton. 

Rest in eternal love and peace Judith and Gersen. 

photo Cred: Vogue/NYT