Have you heard of Mark Cross? If you were already around during the time of the Elizabeth Taylor (along with a lot of people around the world, I am saddened by her passing)- Richard Burton love affair, you’d have read somewhere that Elizabeth Taylor had once ordered 70 pieces of matched Mark Cross luggage for Richard Burton and herself.
Mark Cross, the American Heritage luxury leather goods maker has been around since 1845. In fact, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s characters in Tender Is The Night (Dick and Nicole Diver) are partly inspired by American expatriate couple Gerald and Sara Murphy who became the center of a group of artists and writers in Paris. Gerald Murphy’s family ran Mark Cross.
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| credit: Google |
A Mark Cross bag also famously appeared on celluloid (Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window) with Grace Kelly calling it her “Mark Cross overnight case” and Jimmy Stewart asking if it’s really an overnight case to which Kelly opens and shows him a negligeé.
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| Photo credit: Christie’s (Mark Cross bag of Grace Kelly auctioned off for US$5,019) |
The company sadly closed down in 1997 after going through some turbulent years in business. But good news, the brand was recently resurrected only in 2010 after Neal J. Fox *I wonder if he’s related to Michael J. Fox :)* bought the trademark and into the company, having admired the brand for its timelessness and workmanship. According to Jennifer Paull of Stylelist.com, Fox referred to Mark Cross as “America’s Hermes, America’s Gucci.” (Hermes was established in 1837, Cross in 1845, and Gucci in 1921)
Now the brand is really back, currently through an exclusive partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue.
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| Here are some of the pieces from the collection. I love the color and the styles! So understated and very sophisticated! |
Bags are made with French and Italian leathers, hence the impeccable quality. Just look at the leather used on the red bag. I love it. Reminds me of Valextra.
I am loving this stamped crocodile clutch– price is not too steep either!
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| Maddox stamped croc clutch at just US$495! |
This is one of my favorites:
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| I looooved the color of this bag |
Look at how functional this bag is! 5 compartments, with 2 of them zipped for added “security”! This is indeed one of the most unique styles I have seen and I really “fell in love” with the bag the moment I saw “her”!
I happily used this bag after the very generous team of Mark Cross gave her to me 🙂 Here’s an “action” shot (not to be confused with a “style” shot). The bag is not big at all, so it’s perfect to carry to dressier events. It may look like a small bag, but it is very roomy and allowed me to carry a lot of things inside without looking like the bag “weighed” me down.
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| Pierre, thank you for this photo |
Mark Cross is currently sold in Saks Fifth Avenue Department Stores. Bag Hags, this is a “new” brand to watch out for in the coming months! I can’t wait for more styles as my first Mark Cross bag is definitely something I highly recommend you guys to buy!
For more information on Mark Cross bags, visit www.markcross1845.com
P.S. Prices are VERY good too!
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TheBagHag