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On The DL

Sex on the Re-bound


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Published: Sep 12, 2007

Opening reception Fri., Sept. 14, 7-9 p.m., exhibit runs through Sept. 30, Aphrodite Gallery, 704 S. Fifth St., 215-829-4986, www.rebound-designs.com

Most women will attest to the raw sex appeal of a really fabulous handbag. But D.C.-based crafter and designer Caitlin Phillips pushes the purse fetish further with her new collection made from erotic hardback books. "Sex on the Re-bound" features 20 of her scandalous designs, ranging from repurposed vintage textbooks to Kama Sutra manuals.

In a slight departure from her previous book purses — which include the Harry Potter series and Pride and Prejudice — Phillips scavenged thrift stores and library sales for saucy stories. After removing the pages, she built each purse around the spine and cover and added patterned, vintage-style fabrics. The teal blue spine of Lady Chatterley's Lover is brilliant against a chunky pearl handle, while The Jewel in the Lotus makes for a more mysterious accessory with its worn brown cover and gold details. How to Make Love Like a Porn Star heats things up with flashy bright red lettering and a curvy lacquered handle.

If it's books that really turn you on, not to worry. A book lover herself, Phillips saves the pages she removes and is happy to provide them at no extra cost. Additionally, she rescues most of her materials — in many cases, the books are about to be thrown out — and never uses a valuable book. "The Joy of Sex is out-of-date anyway," she says of her favorite purse, a sophisticated brown design with a beaded handle. "People don't have that much body hair anymore."