This Microscopic 3D Printed Handbag Sold for Over $63,000

Can you imagine having a Louis Vuitton bag that is smaller than a grain of salt? Believe it or not, this is a real piece that is part of the latest project by the art collective MSCHF. Measuring only 657 x 222 x 700 microns, this 3D printed microscopic handbag was created using 3D printing and sold for more than $63,000 in an online auction organized by artist Pharrell Williams. According to the creators of the piece, the bag is narrow enough to fit through the eye of a needle and smaller than a grain of sea salt. In addition, the bag features the typical patterns of the French brand, making this development a unique piece in the world.

The use of additive manufacturing as a method of creating the bag is undoubtedly a highlight of this project. Once again, this type of news highlights the capabilities of 3D printing, including on a microscale. In particular, it shows how AM is increasingly useful for industries such as electronics, where one of the biggest challenges today is still the reduction of component size. Although this application is completely different, it shows another way that art in particular can benefit from the capabilities of 3D printing.

A close-up view of the microscopic 3D printed bag

The so-called “Microscopic Handbag” was 3D printed and created by the Brooklyn-based MSCHF group. It is a unique piece of a yellowish-green fluorescent color, which is barely visible to the human eye. As for the 3D printing technique used, it resorted to two-photon polymerization, a microscale fabrication technique that delivers optimal results despite the size of the parts. It is worth mentioning that, although it has the typical design and appearance of a Louis Vuitton accessory, it does not belong to the luxury brand, but is purely an artistic project.