River Oaks Power Femmes Swoon Over 11 Juillet’s Diamond Handbags — These $9,000 to $50,000 Bags Bring the Sparkle

If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then diamonds on handbags could perhaps be her second best. For the femmes that were swooning  over the magnificent 11 Juillet handbags with diamond-encrusted medallions on display at a recent power femmes Houston party, that reality is clear. The occasion was introduction of the newly launched luxury handbag and fine jewelry line by identical twins Kim Willson and Mary Kay Bowden to a smart clutch of shoppers.

The Kentucky natives who now call Houston home have been making the rounds of only the chicest addresses since March when they began inviting friends in for a high-end look-see at their bags and diamond jewelry. On this evening, the champagne and canapé infused gathering was held in the River Oaks home of Polly and Murry Bowden, in-laws of Mary Kay Bowden.

For the invitation-only affair, the high-style twins explained their inspiration for the 11 Juillet line, with the name July 11 in French, the date of the twins’ shared birthday.

“11 Juillet was born from our desire to redefine what a luxury brand could offer its customers and the bags are made with the best material by skilled artisans around the world,” Willson says. “They all have our medallions with ethically sourced diamonds, malachite and mother of pearl. The whole goal was to really offer more than what you could find in a typical luxury bag.”

Priced in line with Hermès and Chanel, these beauties are not for the weak of discretionary income. But as the duo notes, the bejeweled medallions are forever and can be transformed into a brooch or attached to another bag. In any event, the handbags and totes are definitely valuable heirlooms in the making.

Prices of the made-to-order bags begin at $9,000 with a medallion containing 2.5 carats of diamonds and go up to $50,000 with 17 carats of diamonds.

The 11 Juillet diamond jewelry is as lovely as the medallions and the design features the star just as in the medallion. Price points are more approachable with divine earrings and necklaces and sporty bracelets.

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