Tyler Ellis Blue Clutch

A superlative purse, in which utility, practicality and good looks combine, can be a life-enhancing companion. This insight informs every piece in Tyler Ellis’s collection of handbags, from workhorse totes to streamlined clutches. Ellis’s pragmatic glamour — understated, elegant, functional — is more than just a savvy design signature; it’s an homage to her late father, the seminal fashion designer Perry Ellis.

“He wanted to make fashion fun but also comfortable,” Ellis says of her father, who died in 1986 when she was just a toddler. “He made beautiful clothes that made women feel comfortable, and that’s my view as well. I believe in functional luxury.”

Since launching her brand, in 2011, Ellis’s clean, restrained designs have struck a chord with Hollywood’s elite. A regular fixture on the red carpet, Tyler Ellis clutches were sported at 2019’s Academy Awards by Jennifer Lopez, Glenn Close, Lupita Nyong’o and Helen Mirren.

Although it may seem that Ellis was destined to design, that wasn’t always her plan. After growing up in Los Angeles with her mother, television writer and producer Barbara Gallagher, Ellis moved east to study communications at Boston University. Her creative impulses eventually led her to New York, where she began her career with Michael Kors. Working behind the scenes on runway shows as well as in Kors’s Madison Avenue flagship, Ellis was able to follow a collection from concept to sales floor. The experience not only honed her eye for style but educated her in the real-world needs of customers.

While traveling, Ellis noticed that style-minded women from Singapore to San Francisco were all carrying the same few purses from the same ubiquitous brands. Each woman had her own unique look, but their handbags were far from original. And so the idea for Tyler Ellis began: handbags of impeccable quality equal to the heritage houses but with the indie charm of a niche maker.

From the get-go, Ellis zeroed in on timeless shapes rendered in sumptuous materials: canary-yellow lizard, lipstick-red alligator, bubblegum-pink satin, cobalt-blue calfskin. One of her first designs was a ladylike top-handle tote, refreshingly unadorned save for a gold-toned closure and feet sculpted to resemble pinecones (her one signature motif, chosen for its ancient association with the third eye). She continues to riff on this model season after season, trimmed with leather fringe or framed with whip-stitched edges.

Ellis’s handcrafted clutches — graphic envelope pochettes and hard-sided minaudières shaped like emerald-cut gems — quickly became perennial favorites among gala-going celebrities and socials. The Perry clutch, named for Ellis’s father, evokes glamour in its every element, down to its beveled structure, inspired by the designer’s emerald-cut diamond engagement ring.

All Tyler Ellis bags are crafted by a father-son duo based in Florence, Italy, the mecca of haute leather goods. The factory’s intimate operation gives Ellis the freedom to produce one-off or complicated designs. The designer’s core collection offers a wealth of choices, but her bespoke service enables those seeking a one-of-a-kind treasure to realize their dearest handbag dreams. And a few of the bespoke designs have made their way into the brand’s permanent collection, including a decadent dog carrier and a wine bag.

Find vintage Tyler Ellis crossbody bags, shoulder bags and other accessories on 1stDibs.

Vintage and designer clutches are the perfect size to hold exactly what you need. While they’re typically small, they can make a big impact on an outfit. They also have a fascinating history.

Clutches are handbags without handles that are carried by hand. One of the oldest known clutches was made in Mosul, Iraq, in the 14th century. It was made of brass and inlaid with gold and silver in geometric patterns. Although the loops on the side indicate it likely had handles to wear as a shoulder bag, manuscripts show a similar example being carried by hand.

Fashion designers often made clutches to reflect the wealth of the holder. In Medieval Europe, men and women securely carried items in small bags hidden inside their clothing as tie-on pockets. Women carried their possessions, scented and secreted, in the folds of their voluminous skirts. Pockets eventually became integral to garment design, but bigger sacks were needed to carry books and documents. When women’s clothing became lighter, consisting of fewer layers, it could no longer easily hide their handbags or pockets.

Changes in fashion led to handbags becoming a popular fashion accessory, and today, even as we’re overwhelmed by options from a variety of high-end brands, iconic luxury handbags still rule. The highly decorative bags of the 19th century faded from popularity when women entered the workforce and the clutch became the dominant business accessory. Flappers in the 1920s, clad in the dazzling Art Deco jewelry of the era, also loved the freedom of carrying clutches as they didn’t get in the way of dancing.

The simplicity of the clutch remains stylish today. Once made to be carried on special occasions, they are now an accessory for everyday use. Find a collection of vintage and designer clutches from Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton and more on 1stDibs.