A bag “smaller than a grain of salt” sells for over US$63,000

(CNN) — A tiny hand pocket for this baby, measuring just 0.65 by 0.22 by 0.7 millimeters (or less than 0.03 inches wide), sold for over US$63,000 in an online shop.

Barely visible to the human eye, the fluorescent pale green pocket is based on a popular design by Louis Vuitton, though it’s the work of the New York artistic collective, not the luxury brand itself.

The MSCHF group, which is headquartered in Brooklyn, describes its tiny creation as a “microscopic pocket” and claims it is narrow enough to pass through the eye of a needle and smaller than a grain of sea salt (although it depending on how big it is) ).que te guste la sal).

The object was created through two-photon polymerization, a manufacturing technique used to 3D print plastic pieces on a microscopic scale. It is sold with a microscope equipped with a digital screen through which the bag can be viewed.

A promotional photo shows the design in more detail, revealing Louis Vuitton’s characteristic “LV” monogram. The pocket appears to be based on the French brand’s OnTheGo hand pocket, which currently retails for between US$3,100 and US$4,300 in full sizes.

The sale was organized by Jupiter, an online store founded by American musician, record producer and designer Pharrell Williams. While Williams is currently the menswear creative director of Louis Vuitton, MSCHF creative director Kevin Wiesner previously stated in The New York Times that the collective did not request permission from the French brand to use its logo or design.

“Pharrell is fascinated by big hats, so we created an incredibly tiny pocket,” he told the newspaper.

A subtle “Louis Vuitton” pocket sells for US$63,000 in a shop, the last project of artistic collective MSCHF.

Founded in 2016, MSCHF has been in the news for its so-called “drops”, irreverent artistic projects that are often mocked – because they profit from consumer capitalism. The group was infamously sued by Nike for its “Devil Shoes”, a series of 666 pairs of Nike shoes modified with satanic symbols and drops of real human blood. The case was settled out of court.

Known for mocking the art world for its excesses – whether it’s selling fake Andy Warhol sketches or chopping up Damien Hirst paintings -, the collective has also turned its attention to luxury fashion.

In 2021, the group broke up four Birkin Pockets to make the sandals (nicknamed “Birkinstocks”), offering up to US$76,000 for a pair. Most recently, his cartoonish gummy boots, known as “Big Red Boots”, have become a viral sensation after being worn by stars such as Doja Cat, Iggy Azalea and Janelle Monáe.

Prior to this week’s sale, MSCHF declined to respond to CNN’s inquiries about its wallet formation. However, in a statement published alongside the top list it was said that the fashion industry’s love for small wallets had seen “increasingly more abstract” until the accessory became “purely a branded staple”.

“Previously small skin pockets that required the hand to carry them became unusable and inconvenient for the ‘carrier’,” the statement said. “The microscopic pocket takes it to its logical conclusion. A practical item turned into an ornament, all its supposed function vanishes; for luxury items, applicability is the portion of the angels”.