With the introduction of the Louis Vuitton Multicolore Theda bags, Louis Vuitton have taken us a step closer to recreating a catwalk show on the street.

With distinctive touches across the bag that don't interfere with it's usability - unlike the Louis Vuitton Leonor - this is one bag I'd be happy to have in the collection. I don't think it would spend much time sitting on the shelf, either!

This is a hand held feminine bag, sturdy, strong and very, very useable.

A special styling touch which I adore are the two drawstring openings, one at each end of the bag. Every aspect of the Louis Vuitton Multicolore Theda seems to have been well thought out and this is clearly shown in the drawstrings! The eyelets through which the strings run are just the right size to allow for smooth running of the cowhide leather strings without seeming to large.

The strings themselves are supple and strong, controlled by a sleeve and with golden metal ends.

With the drawstrings fully opened the bag has a generous 13.8 inches length, 8.7 inches height and 5 inches of depth. The bag size does get smaller when you draw the strings in, but not by a huge amount.

With the drawstrings pulled closed you have a very attractive "rouched" appearance to the bag.

The handles are two layered cowhide leather, thin width on thick width! For those of us with really small hands this may get slightly uncomfortable but it should fit in well for most people.

The handles do not have any adjustment in length, although looking at them you'd assume they did, due to the buckle which fastens the handles to the bag.

Inside the Louis Vuitton Theda there is a smallish patch pocket and everything is covered in their micro fibre lining - therefore relatively easy to keep clean.

So - are there any gripes with this bag? Well, yup, just the one. I'm not a huge fan of buckle closure on a handbag. Sure, it may look appealing and i grant you on some bags it is a necessity. But using a buckle to get in and out of your bag can be an absolute pain.

Getting stuff out is okay but when you are trying to put stuff in, 7 times out of ten you'll be holding the bag in one hand and trying to undo the buckle with the other hand, whilst also holding what it is you want to put inside. It's at times like these that an ability to juggle would really come in handy.

I'll only knock off half a point on the usability scale though. To be fair to the Louis Vuitton Theda, the buckle and tongue are quite big and not as fiddly as that on the Louis Vuitton Leonor for example!

Priced at $2,420.00 at the time of writing this review in Feb 2005 the Louis Vuitton MC Theda seems fairly priced for what is, effectively, a catwalk style designer handbag.

It would certainly compliment many a summer outfit!!