A tiny handbag that is ‘smaller than a grain of salt’ has sold for a whopping £50,000, and it might just be the most extra thing we've ever seen.
Let’s face it, handbags are NEVER big enough for all of the essentials that we like to carry around each day – purse, phone, keys, umbrella, makeup, water bottle, Vaseline, paracetamol, snacks, nail file, an extra layer in case it gets cold...
But even the lightest of packers may struggle with this spenny little number, which sold for a whopping $63,000 (£50,000) yesterday, despite apparently being no bigger than a grain of salt.
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On initial glance, the Microscopic Handbag looks like it’s been prized straight from Billie Eilish’s arm, but if you look a little closer, then you’ll realise it’s absolutely tiny.
The lime green bag, created by Brooklyn-based art collective MSCHF, is based on the popular Louis Vuitton design.
The main difference, however, is that this one measures 657 by 222 by 700 microns – or the equivalent of just 0.03 inches wide.
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It was created using technology specifically designed for 3D-printing micro-scale plastic parts, and even boasts a tiny ‘LV’ monogram design, just like Louis Vuitton’s normal-sized handbags.
Yep, you’d struggle to fit your lippy in there, let alone that salad you picked up from Pret on the way to work.
Explaining the piece on Instagram, MSCHF said: “Smaller than a grain of sea salt and narrow enough to pass through the eye of a needle, this is a purse so small you'll need a microscope to see it.
“There are big handbags, normal handbags, and small handbags, but this is the final word in bag miniaturisation.
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“As a once-functional object like a handbag becomes smaller and smaller its object status becomes steadily more abstracted until it is purely a brand signifier.”
The bag sold at an online auction hosted by Joopiter, which was founded by singer Pharrell Williams – who also happens to currently be the creative director of menswear at the French design house.
However, it turns out Louis Vuitton never approved this creation, with Kevin Wiesner, the chief creative officer of MSCHF, telling the New York Times that the art collective didn’t go for permission from either the musician or Louis Vuitton to use the logo or design.
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He said: “Pharrell loves big hats, so we made him an incredibly small bag.”
Thankfully, when the bag was sold, it came complete with a microscope with a digital display, meaning the proud new owner can at least look at their new accessory... Even if they may struggle to make any use of it.
Jess Hardiman