Wednesday, 26 November 2008

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Hayden Panettiere turns handbag designer for Dooney & Bourke

Heroes actress launches the Hayden Clutch

Hayden Panettiere is dating her Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia

The Heroes star isn’t just saving the world from evil on TV — she’s helping to bring good design to your closet, too.

Hayden Panettiere, who is Dooney & Bourke’s spokesmodel, has teamed up with the label’s designer Peter Dooney to create the perfect bag for Spring 09.

Named after the star herself, the “Hayden Clutch” is made from Italian calfskin and fastened with a 24 carat gold plated lion head, inspired by her astrological sign the Leo.

PEOPLE caught up the new handbag designer who told us she was part of the design process from the initial drawing to the lion’s head clasp.

“Instead of putting my name on it, I put a lions head on it. It’s a way of representing me,” says Hayden.

The clutch shape was also her idea. “I asked if I could design a clutch because it’s something that I'm familiar with because I carry them around all of the time.”

The bag will come in a variety of colors including blue, red, black, white, brown, hot pink (Hayden’s favorite) and purple.

The Hayden Clutch, $295, will hit Dooney & Bourke stores nationwide in December. The Hayden Clutch isn’t the first bag by the young star.

Hayden also lent her skill to the Hayden Bag, a large patent number, for the Fall 08 collection. Though her bags are a big hit, the star doesn’t have any desire to become a fashion designer.

“I’m going to stick to acting. If I designed anything it would probably be something for myself, more of a personal thing. I’m not interested in becoming a designer."