Fashion aficionados adore luxury brands like Hermès and Mouawad, renowned for pushing the boundaries of opulence and crafting extravagance from factory to boutique. However, in a surprising twist, the world’s most expensive known luxury bag is an upcycled creation, incorporating materials from pre-loved items. Below, we present a list of the five most exorbitant handbags globally, complete with their celebrity owners.
The Debbie Wingham Egg Bag – Valued at an Astonishing $6.7 Million
In 2019, fashion luminary Debbie Wingham unveiled the world’s priciest handbag, valued at an astounding $6.7 million. This unique creation was commissioned by an enigmatic buyer from the United States, who provided designer items from past seasons for Wingham to integrate into the bag. Surprisingly, this masterpiece is constructed from pre-loved materials.
The upcycled purse is bedecked with a staggering 8,000 diamonds, its interior lined with an Hermès scarf, and it fastens with a pair of Cartier earrings worth $40,000. However, the most luxurious element of this meticulously crafted bag is its core, a genuine Emu egg strengthened with enamel made from blue diamond dust.
The Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse – A $3.8 Million Work of Art
Standing at an impressive $3.8 million, the Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse is a heart-shaped diamond masterpiece. It gained fame by securing a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2011 as the “World’s Most Expensive Bag.” Mouawad, renowned for setting records with valuable jewelry items, designed this purse.
Crafted by the esteemed Lebanese jeweler Robert Mouawad, the purse boasts a staggering 4,517 diamonds, including 105 yellow, 56 pink, and 4,356 colorless gems. This timeless symbol of luxury required the expertise of ten artisans laboring tirelessly for over 8,000 hours to reach completion.
The Hermès Kelly Rose Gold – A $2 Million Rose Gold Delight
With a price tag of $2 million, the Hermès Kelly in Rose Gold is an exclusive gem, with only 12 pieces ever created. A collaborative effort between Hermès and Pierre Hardy, a renowned French jeweler and shoe designer, this Kelly is meticulously fashioned from solid rose gold, cleverly designed to mimic crocodile leather. It is adorned with a delicate array of 1,160 diamonds. Some argue that its petite size makes it more of a wrist-worn piece of jewelry than a functional handbag.
The Hermès Birkin by Ginza Tanaka – A $1.4 Million Japanese Marvel
Japanese designer Ginza Tanaka’s Hermès Birkin claims fourth place on our list, sporting a price tag of $1.4 million. This exceptional Birkin, created in 2008, features an exterior embellished with 2,000 diamonds and a detachable 8-karat pear-shaped diamond, which can be worn as a brooch. The strap is also removable, effortlessly transforming into a diamond necklace to complement the brooch.
The Hermès Chaine’d Ancre Bag – A $1.4 Million Collaboration
Rounding out our top five is the Hermès Chaine’d Ancre Bag, priced at $1.4 million, crafted in partnership with jeweler Pierre Hardy in 2012. Hardy dedicated two years to perfecting this masterpiece, resulting in only three pieces of this unique design. The bag is encrusted with 1,160 diamond-encrusted chain links, sparking interest for its controversial themes and allusions to prison imagery.
