A high-end fashion brand has found itself at the center of social media uproar after debuting a designer purse that is ‘smaller than a grain of salt’.
MSCHF, the company behind a pair of much-mocked $350 giant rubber cartoon boots, has taken its passion for sartorial stunts one step further with the launch of a purse that is so tiny it must be viewed through a microscope in order to properly see its design.
The aptly-named ‘Microscopic Bag’ measures just 657 by 222 by 700 micrometers, according to a statement from the brand – which is due to auction off the speck-sized purse later this month at Pharrell William’s Just Phriends sale.
But while the teeny-tiny accessory pays homage to a popular style staple – a Louis Vuitton purse – its connection to one of fashion’s favorite houses has not stopped it from being brutally trolled on social media, where users have been quick to poke fun at the ridiculous nature of its design.
The 3D printed microscope bag measures 657 by 222 by 700 micrometers
The bag will sell at Pharrell’s Just Phriends auction on June 19-27 in Paris
It will come with a ‘case pre-mounted under a microscope, with a digital display’
MSCHF announced the launch of the bag on its Instagram account, where it described the itsy-bitsy design as ‘the final word in bag miniaturization’, writing in the caption: ‘There are big handbags, normal handbags, and small handbags, but this is the final word in bag miniaturization.
‘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 3D printed microscopic bag was modeled after Louis Vuitton’s OnTheGo MM bag, which typically retails for around $3,100.
MSCHF noted that it chose that specific Louis Vuitton bag as the muse for its grain of sand-sized design, because the LV logo could still be seen on the microscopic 3D-printed creation.
‘The bag was created out of resin through a process called two-photon polymerization, a kind of 3-D printing for microscopic objects,’ states Kevin Wiesner, the chief creative officer of MSCHF tells The New York Times.
When the samples of the bag arrived in his office months ago, he admitted that the team lost several of them due to its miniature size.
It will be presented at Pharrell’s Just Phriends auction, which begins on June 19, and can be viewed in person by the public, from June 20 to 24, at 8 Avenue Matignon, in Paris.
The picture of the microscopic bag got over 75,000 likes, and a social media frenzy took over
During the auction, it will be ‘broadcasted on a built-in digital display,’ so that it can be viewed by all.
The bag will ‘be sold in a sealed gel case pre-mounted beneath a microscope with a digital display.’
Pharrell isn’t only behind the auction, but he’s also recently become the head of Louis Vuitton’s menswear.
Kevin kept that relevance in mind because, ‘Pharrell loves big hats, so we made him an incredibly small bag.’
Despite that obvious connection between Pharrell and Louis Vuitton, Kevin didn’t ask for permission to use the logo.
He stated: ”We are big in the ‘ask forgiveness, not permission’ school.”
Kevin spoke about what bags have ‘become’: ”I think ‘bag’ is a funny object because it derives from something rigorously functional, but it has basically become jewelry.”
According to the brand: ‘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.
‘Previous small leather handbags have still required a hand to carry them- they become dysfunctional, inconveniences to their wearer.
A flock of fashionistas mocked the ‘sand of grain’ bag with tweets and memes
‘Microscopic Handbag takes this to its full logical conclusion. A practical object is boiled down into jewelry, all of its putative function evaporated; for luxury objects, usability is the angels’ share.’
As soon as MSCHF posted the microscope bag, the jokes and memes took over social media.
Fashionistas mocked it: ‘Will this fit under an airplane seat?’
Pharrell isn’t only behind the auction, he’s also recently become the head of Louis Vuitton’s menswear
A person wants it for ‘high-art’: ‘Honestly, if I were really rich, I’d buy this and put it under a magnifying glass cabinet, it’d be funny.’
One person hilariously wrote: ‘Finally a bag that fits all this cash.’
Another compared the micro-bag to micro-dollars: ‘Can I pay with micro-dollars for that?’
A fan of the brand wrote: ‘Ya’ll are always doing too much, but I fw it.’
The bag hilariously over one person: ‘Finally a bag to fit alllllll my patience.’
A commentator was confused by the bizarre bag: ‘Ya’ll so extra, it’s wild.’
One Kardashian-follower mentioned Kourtney’s infamous quote: ”Kim, people are dying.’ – K”
Being that the brand goes off of ‘structured chaos,’ this isn’t the first time MSCHF has designed something obscene.
MSCHF is also behind the notorious red boots, the infamous Satan shoes that contain a drop of blood and were advertised by Lil Nas X, and the Jesus shoe that comes with Holy water in its sole.
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