'Louis Vuitton' handbag smaller than grain of salt sells for more than $63,000

The design, created to look like an Onthego tote, was sold on Pharrell Williams's auction site

A new fashion seasoning is under way, but this bag wouldn't even hold a grain of salt. Photo: MSCHF

A microscopic handbag, so small it can pass through the eye of a needle, has sold at auction for $63,750.

The neon yellow bag, which features Louis Vuitton's signature LV monogramming, was created by Brooklyn art and fashion collective MSCHF. Only viewable through a microscope, the bag measures 657 by 222 by 700 microns (0.667 x 0.222 x 0.7mm). The average coarse salt grain is approximately 2mm, while fine table salt is 0.3mm.

The bag is based on the Louis Vuitton Onthego tote, which sells for between $3,100 and $4,300.

According to MSCHF, the tote bag was created using two-photon polymerisation printing methods and is made with photopolymer resin and a gel case. The process is commonly used in the biotech industry.

Speaking to the New York Times, MSCHF’s chief creative officer Kevin Wiesner said they had not collaborated with the French fashion house, nor sought its permission to use its logo or design.

The auction, however, was hosted by Joopiter, an online auction house founded by Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton's menswear creative director.

"There are big handbags, normal handbags and small handbags. Various brands at various times have dabbled in the extremes of each," the lot description, written by MSCHF, reads.

"Smaller than a grain of salt, MSCHF’s Microscopic Handbag is made via a stereolithographic process commonly used for making tiny mechanical biotech structures. It is the final word in bag miniaturisation.

"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'.

"Microscopic Handbag takes this to its full logical conclusion. A practical object is boiled down into jewellery, all of its putative function evaporated; for luxury objects, usability is the angels' share."

The Just Phriends auction closed on Wednesday, other items sold include a replica of the custom Takashi Murakami-designed helmet Sir Lewis Hamilton wore for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix in October last year; a Hajime Sorayama shark sculpture for $30,625; street artist Kaws's 2013 MTV Moonman award for $256,250; a portrait of Williams by Invader for $137,500; a signed Polaroid image of Kenzo designer Nigo with Williams from 2008 for $11,562; and Tiffany & Co x Pharrell Williams Astro Mint pendant for $78,750.

Earlier this year, MSCHF made headlines selling red oversized cartoon-style boots for $350. They were dubbed the "Astro Boy boots" thanks to their similarity to the footwear favoured by the Japanese manga character.