To couture designer Reem Acra, the jewel in her life is a vintage, evening bag collection that she has nestled throughout her Manhattan apartment.  A converted showroom is now her personal residence filled with flairs of Middle Eastern meets modern-world antiquities.

Acra has been designing for as long as she can remember and always creates each garment with a specific woman in mind: the female who she describes as “sensual, well traveled, cultured and who appreciates quality.” With trademark combinations of beaded embroideries and luxurious fabrics, her designs are highly desired by brides, celebrities and socialites alike.

Acra is a passionate woman.  Whether she is traveling the globe, spending a quiet weekend at home with her Maltese—Lulu—or shopping at her local Chelsea flea market (where the next purchase for her collection may come from) she enjoys life to the fullest.  What originally began as a vintage clothing collection soon turned into handbags.  She first started collecting her “jewels” at the tender age of 11.  “Everything that is jeweled up I love,” says Acra.

Her collection is comprised of about 200 treasured pieces that are placed sporadically throughout her home and habitually rearranged.  The most unique display resides in her personal washroom.  The core of Acra’s collection is primarily vintage— specifically from the early 1920’s—which is known for its detailed craftsmanship.  Reticules with meticulous, metal beading and rich brocades are signature elements to this time period.

Acra does not go searching for handbags.  They speak to her and she is most intrigued about the story behind the bag and what the person was like who fashioned them.  “It’s all about the designs and not about the labels,” Acra notes.  One piece that stands out is a brass-framed, embroidered purple clutch.  Inside lies a small diary and pencil with daily entries from a young woman who would document her evenings out dancing and the interesting men she would encounter.  Another favorite is a lime-green velvet bag that has a unique compartment for binoculars that a woman may utilize while at the opera. 

These bags are like books to Acra and allow her imagination to run wild.  Each one tells a different story about a different woman.  She has a specific fondness for opera-length mesh bags, specifically by American manufacturer Whiting & Davis.  Her most treasured piece is a gold-embroidered Turkish handbag that she displayed in her first, national advertising campaign.

Surprisingly, this collection is fully functional and refuses to collect dust.  She is an avid wearer of each piece and so is Lulu, which Acra can be spotted toting around the City.  When asked if these bags ever serve as inspiration, she remarked: “the whole purse collection, along with my home, is always an inspiration to me that will never end.”

Written by Tracy B. Freedman; Photography: Ron Purdy