Until I caught sight of her spring/summer 2013 collection, I wouldn’t have counted Nancy Gonzalez among the ranks of the eclectic or the bizarre. I’m still not even sure she qualifies for the latter – her bags carry far too much cachet to ever be considered anything but exotic – but this new range certainly makes a case for her quirky side.

At least color-wise, it doesn’t get much brighter than the Mini Clutch in metallic orange. The fiery hue captures the spirit of a sizzling, sultry summer – you almost want to book a flight to the tropics, stat. A chunky chain balances the bag’s sleekness well, without adding any unnecessary bulk.

Unleashing her playful side, Gonzalez decorates her Dragonfly Embroidered Tote with lively embellishments that seem to almost float off the bag. The 3D-like effect is fun and definitely out of character for Gonzalez, who typically plays it safe with her exotic skins. Even the colors here are far more adventurous than her usual.

It was the Multicolor Crocodile Puzzle Tote that initially caught my eye. Faster than you can say “ROYGBIV,” Gonzalez makes perfect use of a rainbow of colors, creating what could be her most interesting bag to date. Pairing cobalt, turquoise, fuchsia, grass, black and white with one another is an unusual move, but I think it proves that Gonzalez can really swing the pendulum in any direction and come out on top.

All images courtesy Moda Operandi.

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