Past Exhibitions
Art in Hand: Judith Leiber Handbags
Judith Leiber, a leader in couture handbags, has created more than 3,000 different designs in a career that began in 1963, and over 100 of them can be seen in this exhibition. Best known for her signature crystal covered minaudieres – small ornamental cases for a woman's cosmetics, jewelry, or personal items – in the fanciful shapes of animals, fruits or anything that inspires her fancy, Leiber’s handbags also are hailed for their incomparable originality and flawless hand craftsmanship. Judith Leiber handbags are collected with passion and can be seen in hand at myriad events from presidential inaugural balls to opera premieres. Her work has made a significant contribution to the style and sophistication of the well-dressed woman. Like Cartier and Tiffany, Leiber’s products have transcended their original function to be regarded as art. She has received many awards for her work, including the Council of Fashion Designers of America Award for Accessories in 1994 – the fashion industry’s equivalent of the Oscar.
Her bags are in the permanent collections of such museums as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian and have been carried by every First Lady since Nancy Reagan. In Hollywood, her handbags have graced the such celebrities as Greta Garbo, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Rivers, Beverly Sills, Barbara Walters, Elizabeth Hurley, Bjork, Renee Zellwegger.
Born in 1921 in Budapest, Hungary, Word War II interrupted her original plans to attend Kings College in London to study chemistry, and at age 18, Judith Peto became the first woman accepted into the Hungarian handbag-maker’s guild. During her apprenticeship, she mastered every aspect of designing and constructing a handbag – from making a pattern and frame to hand-tacking and sewing. While she was learning her craft. the Nazi’s were invading town after town.
In 1945, she met Gerson Leiber, a Signal Corps sergeant in the United States Army in Budapest. It was love at first sight for both of them and they spent their free time together indulging their mutual love of art. They married in 1946 and returned to Gerson Lieber’s home town – New York City. She worked for a number of handbag companies before launching Judith Leiber, Inc. in 1963.
Leiber created her first minaudière in 1967, when a shipment of handbag cases were erroneously painted with green spots. Leiber resourcefully covered the areas with crystal rhinestones. Her first design was in the shape of a chatelaine or drawstring bag. It has remained so popular that it is still in production today. The majority of the 100+ parts of each bag are made and hand assembled in her factory in New York City’s Garment District. The beading of a bag takes up to five days to complete, with 10,000 to 18,000 crystals applied by hand. Her design ideas have come from a wide variety of sources reflective of her personal interests and those of her friends – from New York’s architecture to a frog and a violin. Art has been a strong influence, particularly Asian art, which she collects, and her love of gardening led to asparagus, tomato, watermelon and rose handbags. More than just utilitarian objects, Judith Leiber’s whimsical works of art inspire conversation and delight.
Art in Hand: Judith Leiber Handbags is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and is sponsored by Casas del Oso and The Paige Heavey Fine Properties Group. Promotional support has been provided by Biltmore Fashion Park.
Left: Frog minaudiere, Judith Leiber, 1990s. Gold plated brass, crystal, leather. Lent by Mrs. Kelly Ellman. Center: Violin minaudiere, Judith Leiber, 1992. Gold plated brass, crystal rhinestones, leather. From a Sun City collection. Right: Pig minaudiere, Judith Leiber, 1990s. Gold plated brass, crystal, leather. Lent by Mrs. Kelly Ellman.