Crocodile handbags and accessories are all the rage this autumn. But a subtler trend was the sensational one of a kind fabulous fur handbags that were interspersed throughout the 2003 ready to wear collections.

Furs.com have done your shopping for you ­we've looked through them all and found the best fur handbags of the season.

Of all the designers, Valentino created the most luxurious and exquisite collection of fur evening bags. The small black mink pouch with a beaded chain is a truly unique piece and looks beautiful hanging off the wrist. But the white silver and fur with embroidered beading epitomized his ladylike collection. The extraordinary detailing of this white masterpiece mimicked Edwardian styling but still managed to have a 1940's spirit.

Gucci's collection portrayed women as an all- powerful but high glam vixen. The fur handbag looks proper enough ­ with ornate wooden handles and in tweed ­ but is exaggerated in suggestive fur.

Fendi showed the most fur handbags of all. To complement their show stopping coats in tufts of white fox and gray Persian lamb and Mongolian lamb, the handbags showed up as colorful pouch-y style bags in fur or leather with reflective metal textures.

Zebra prints and zebra fabric with spots were the main theme at both Sonya Rykiel and Celine. Rykiel showed several styles of zebra skin bags and Celine accessories -stilettos and coats - matched the zebra handbags.

But the most utilitarian was the Michael Kors over the shoulder black sable bag. Sleek, sexy urbane and pure luxe, it's a practical size to use everyday. Well, that's one way to get your money's worth!