Have Tiny Handbags Gone Too Far?
At Mynt Condition, we’ve been exploring the overlap of beautiful, practical objects like handbags and the digital NFTs that merely represent them for a while now – but even we aren’t sure what to make of the two converging in MSCHF’s latest stunt. Their new “Microscopic Handbag” measures less than 0.3 inches, and is purportedly small enough to pass through the eye of a needle.
Of course, tiny handbags are nothing new. In recent years, bags have gotten smaller and smaller, despite the blazer and pant silhouettes surrounding them only getting more and more oversized. From the Nano Fendigraphy to the Jacquemus Le Chiquito, bags are increasingly a purely decorative accessory more akin to jewelry than functional items. (When considering the Chanel Mini Heart Bag in our local boutique, we even had a sales associate point out that no one needs a bag to carry their phone anymore since it’s always in the wearer’s hand).
MSCHF’s fluorescent bag, smaller than a grain of sand, is based on the Louis Vuitton Onthego tote. It was not done in collaboration with the brand (or with their approval), though the auction was hosted on the platform Joopiter – owned by none other than Vuitton’s new menswear designer, Pharrell Williams. But that didn’t diminish its value: the nearly invisible purse sold for $63,000 (complete with a microscope to actually view the bag).
MSCHF is an art collective that has a history of poking fun at consumerism and the fashion industry. In 2021, the group destroyed four Birkin bags and repurposed the leather to create “Birkinstocks,” available for a whopping $76,000 – significantly more expensive than all but the rarest of actual Birkin bags. The collective also made headlines when Nike sued them in response to their “Satan Shoes,” 666 pairs of Nike sneakers modified with satanic symbols and drops of actual blood.
Meanwhile, the original (and full-sized GM) Onthego tote retails for between $3,100 and $4,300, with a resale value of between 80-100% on sites like TheRealReal and Rebag – plus, it can actually hold your stuff.