It brings a whole new meaning to the power of the purse. This season, high-fashion designers are going high-tech with the ultimate accessory:a handbag that recharges your cell phone or Blackberry.High-profile American designers such as Tommy Hilfiger, Diane Von Furstenberg, Rogan and Loomstate have created the solar-powered bags in collaboration with Elle Magazine.

The one-of-a-kind handbags have been fitted with special kits that consist of flexible solar panels and a control unit with either a USB port or small light. Rogan designer Rogan Gregory.

"A lot of my friends were like: 'that would make a great beach bag. You know, I'd take it to the beach and then I can stay at the beach all day, you know, talk on the phone all day if that's what you want to do, or listen to the radio, whatever, because we have the sun that charge everything."

Elle Fashion News Director Anne Slowey says the handbag project is part of a feature soluting the brightest ideas in energy.

" This is really a first and it's very unique. And the bags are cool, you know, I mean they're actually bags that people get exicted about and you'd want to wear. They don't look like little mini robots, you know, that you're carrying on your shoulder."

The solar-powered bags are the brain child of Boston-based architect Sheila Kennedy, who came up with the idea after travelling in a remote part of Mexico.

Known as the portable light project, Kennedy created a bag that is both a light and a power source.

"If you expose the solar panel, outdoors in direct sun light for about five hours with our two-watt, our very small two-watt module, then you have about eight hours of bright and white light."

Kennedy says the concept has the potential to address what she calls energy poverty in third world and developing countries.

"The ability to charge a cell phone and to have some light builds so mcuh human capacity that it can be, this very small resource can be a step in really breaking out of a cycle of poverty and energy poverty."

As for the designer handbags, they're set to be auctioned online. But they won't come cheap.

Handbags are expensive, especially designer handbags. I mean you can spend, you know, the norm nowadays, I mean it just makes me like have a heart attack to say it. But you know, women are spending 1,600 to 2,000 dollars on a bag.

The auction will take place on www.elle.com.