The Scoop on Fall Handbag Trends From Designer Cinzia Moniaci

While at the Kari Feinstein Emmys Style Lounge last week, we chatted up Moni Moni designer Cinzia Moniaci for the scoop on fall handbags. Her gorgeous Italian leather designs can be seen on the arms of plenty of stylish celebs, such as Halle Berry, Emmy Rossum, Jessica Alba and Jennifer Love Hewitt, to name a few.

Color enthusiasts, rejoice, because the trend will be carried over into the fall. "I have this new color called Pulp, which is a new breed of orange," said Moniaci. "I literally got the inspiration from the oranges of Sicily."

She continued: "The color is all over the catwalks. You'll find it in coats, but especially in accessories. It's very bold and yet it's now almost like a neutral because the hue has a bit of tan in it and a bit of caramel."

Moniaci also suggests spicing up your fall ensembles with purses in mustard or apple green. "The bag just makes the outfit, so all of a sudden you've updated it."

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While Moniaci specializes in slouchy pieces, she admits that there's a shift toward more structured shapes. "We're cleaning up our look a little bit. Our bags for this season are still mushy and soft, but they have to be proper and not too large so that it doesn't overpower your outfit."

Messenger bags are coming back in full force, according to Moniaci, who just put out her Monique messenger bags (above). "I'm a big fanatic of messengers because they have a lot of different pockets and are versatile." The Monique style also offers texture, which is also important for fall. "Croc prints and python prints are very chic. Braiding is a big trend. Anything that gives a bag a bit of texture without being too ruffly or busy is definitely in."

For the upcoming holidays, Moniaci suggest rocking a bag like her Postina in silver (shown) because it will take you from day to night. "I like smaller metallic bags that look like messengers for parties," she said. "You can wear them with your jeans or work clothes during the day, and then conveniently hide the long strap inside at night."

No matter what the season, Moniaci advises women to set themselves apart from the crowd by selecting a bag that's original. "Don't look for what everyone else has. What's important is the quality of the leather and the beauty of it. People will be drawn to you because they haven't seen your bag anywhere else," she explained. "An Hermés Birkin or Louis Vuitton bag is a big investment, but it's not going to pay off because everyone will look like you. Some styles have been seen so much that you blend in and you don't know what's real and what's not anymore."