MSCHF collective want to mock capitalism by leveraging pop culture, but they end up feeding it – the mini bag is visible only under a microscope and is a little bigger than a grain of salt
The Microscopic Handbag by MSCHF art collective
The MSCHF collectives’ latest launch is the microscopic bag, which mocks the trend of mini and micro bags carried by major fashion houses. MSCHF takes this concept to the extreme, devising a bag that is visible only under a microscope and is a little larger than a grain of salt. The Microscopic Handbag, which is the official name, in fact, measures 657 by 222 by 700 micrometers.
MSCHF and the nonexistent collaboration with Louis Vuitton
The bag was modeled after Louis Vuitton’s iconic piece OnTheGo, also bearing the brand’s LV monogram and signature symbols. Everyone thought of a collaboration between the two, but in fact, the brand is not involved in this production at all.
According to MSCHF reports, the brand would not provide any permission to use the bag’s intellectual property in the project. The choice of the model and the brand, probably, can be attributed to the fact that Louis Vuitton represents one of the big players in the fashion world, as well as being part of one of the most powerful conglomerates.
The brand name thus, in MSCHF’s work is as if it becomes a symbol of the current operations of the fashion industry. Already in the past, the collective, which according to Kevin Wiesner, creative director, is an advocate of the ask-for-permission-not-allowed philosophy, has been taken to court.
In fact, the use of trademarks and intellectual property has previously annoyed brands that have been involved in their works. In 2021, for example, it settled a lawsuit with Nike following the use of the trademark in the creation of Satan Shoes.
The Microscopic Handbag production by MSCHF
The Microscopic Handbag is narrow enough to fit through the eye of the needle, and several steps were required to achieve this. MSCHF had been discussing the idea of a miniature handbag for several months already, and the collective had approached Sarah Andelman, former creative director of the Parisian boutique Colette, who will also be responsible for part of the sale now.
The unconventionality of this idea was enthusiastically received, but the implementation was troubled. Among the manufacturers contacted were several biotechnology companies, but many declined to collaborate. The project, which was more creative than scientific, encountered several prejudices, but eventually, one producer agreed to proceed.
The process used is similar to 3D printing but is specific to such small, microscopic objects. It is scientifically called two-photon polymerization, and the material implied is resin. The choice of the OnTheGo bag inspiration was also related to feasibility in technical terms. Louis Vuitton’s model was simple to make and recognizable even at this microscopic size. The shiny color also allows it to be illuminated and made visible on the microscope slide.
MSCHF’s critique and provocation over luxury mini bags
It is not expected that such an object has actual utility in concrete everyday life. It is not an accessory to be flaunted like others from luxury brands that often define status. Mini bags, a current obsession in the fashion world, also have a function that is not at all practical.
On a critical level, one would have to wonder what their function is if not an accessory showing off one. The provocation implemented by the creative and design collective MSCHF seems to refer precisely to this.
Their micro bag is not even visible to the naked eye and probably ironizes the impossibility of carrying things inside. It insists on the dematerialization of the use for which the bag was born and originally created, carrying objects with it.
Does it make sense, then, to sell disproportionate amounts of money for bags that fail to perform the primary function for which the accessory was created? «When a once functional object like a handbag becomes smaller and smaller, its status becomes more and more abstract until it becomes a pure brand symbol», MSCHF stated in a release.
MSCHF’s Microscopic Handbag is a work of art, not just a handbag
«A handbag is a fun object because it comes from something that is strictly functional, but it has become a piece of jewelry», Kevin Wiesner said in an interview reported in the New York Times.
The Microscopic Handbag in addition to being a critical and humorous reflection on the luxury handbag issue is a true work of art. It is untamable and it is also likely to be lost if one does not pay enough attention, as happened to the team with some samples.
From June 20 to 24 it was on display at the Perrotin Gallery, 8 Avenue Matignon in Paris. Later in addition to the Andelman auction, it will also be sold through Joopiter, the auction house founded by Pharrell Williams.
To be displayed and then awarded to the highest bidder, the bag was sealed in a gel case. This has been pre-placed under a microscope with a digital display and so it will also be sold.
The ongoing work of the MSCHF creative and design collective
The arts and creative collective MSCHF is officially founded in Brooklyn in 2019. The members are Wiesner, Gabriel Whaley, Daniel Greenberg, Stephen Tetreault, and Lukas Bentel. Their work has been based on critical reflection with respect to contemporary consumerist reality. And, leaving out the other pieces, the projects could only do without ironically investigating the world of fashion.
As their works are also provocations to the brands working in this field and their items, there are no actual partnerships or collaborations between MSCHF and those. Among the projects to remember are the Birkenstock sandals, somewhere between celebrating and mocking the myth of the Hermès Birkin.
The sandals created, in fact, were shaped like classic Birkenstocks but were created from materials made from Birkins and reached the $76,000 price tag. Going on to call into question the continuing collaborations of fashion brands, the collective also hit the sneaker universe. From Jesus Shoes to Satan Shoes to the most recent Big Red Boot.
The Jesus Shoes: Air Max 97 customized with holy water
The ironic name of the Jesus Shoes refers to the ability to walk on water. MSCHF, in fact, took a model of Nike Air Max 97 and inserted it inside the sole holy water coming directly from the Jordan River.
To this gimmick, after having the water blessed by a Brooklyn priest, they added a gold crucifix. Like a real pendant, this was inserted between the laces of the sneaker. The product that went viral in 2019 was immediately bought and resold for $4,000 on StockX.
Regarding this project, the collective wanted to be ironic with respect to the flood of nonsensical collaborations, and for this, they thought of a collaboration between a shoe producer, Nike, and Jesus.
The Satan Shoes: the diatribe between MSCHF and Nike
The Satan Shoes were created by MSCHF in collaboration with Lil Nas X. Not surprisingly, 666 pairs were made and sold in this project. Distinguishing the shoes in question was the addition of a number of features to the Nike Air Max 97 model.
Inside the sole, this time, a red-colored liquid was inserted with the addition of a small percentage of human blood. The donation of the same was made by the very collaborators of the collective. The theme of Satanism is evident, and the launch of the product through a video of the singer made it instantly viral.
In this case, many of the shoe brand’s supporters thought of a collaboration between it and the creative collective. Criticism swamped Nike, which took legal action with respect to MSCHF by prohibiting it from producing, transporting, promoting, advertising, distributing, or selling any product under the brand. It also demanded the return of every branded item in the collective’s possession so that it could be destroyed.
Wavy Baby Shoes and the lawsuit moved by Vans
In 2022 MSCHF released Wavy Baby Shoes similar in features to the Vans brand’s Old Skools. The latter, already aware of the release, had at first attempted to enter into a collaboration agreement with the collective and then proceeded to take legal action.
Another creative idea from MSCHF, following the vicissitudes with Nike, was then put on trial. Logos, shoe coloring, and packaging were similar to those of the Old Skools, but MSCHF focused on their manufacture. Again, there was a discussion about illegally taking sales from Vans and damaging its intellectual property.
The pieces had already attracted attention online, considering also the close partnership with Tyga. After the official launch, however, the judge ordered MSCHF to stop sales. But this did not stop the work of the collective, which continues to devise its pieces with direct references to brands operating in the clothing industry.
The latest MSCHF project: Big Red Boots
MSCHF’s latest project is the Big Red Boots, which also went viral online. Between gaming and cartoony, these boots feature rounded, playful shapes. Referred to by many as Astro Boy Boots, a reference to a Japanese manga, or Red Rubber Boots.
These have been made famous once again by a number of celebrities who have worn them in real life. From Rich the Kid to Lil Wayne and Sarah Snyder, the media power was such that they sold out on the first drop. The collective’s reflection falls on the concept of the it-item and the abstraction of the same starting with the ironic boot shapes they propose.
The creation of a shoe starts from simple and primitive forms to reach the general idea of the boot, this is Big Red Boots. «Cartoon boots for a cool 3D world. cartoonishness is an abstraction that frees us from the constraints of reality. if you kick someone in these boots they go boing!», that is how the creators describe the product.
MSCHF
MSCHF (pronounced mischief) is an American art collective based in Brooklyn, New York, United States. MSCHF has produced a wide range of artworks, ranging from browser plugins to sneakers, physical products, social media channels and AI generated foot photographs.
