MSCHF Designs $550 ‘Made In Italy’ Bag… But It’s Not The Italy You Have In Mind

Those familiar with MSCHF will know of its numerous jabs at capitalism, with the most notorious of them being its saga with Nike over blood-filled ‘Satan Shoes’. Recently, the collective issued 1,000 keys to buyers, all looking to unlock the same mysterious car in New York City. 

Now, the art pranksters are back to debut their first-ever handbag, aptly dubbed ‘Made In Italy’ in tribute to the product’s place of origin (note that we said place, not country—more on that later). Retailing at US$550, the purse certainly is a steal compared to some other offerings by luxury brands in the nation.

However, as with MSCHF, there’s always a catch—and this time, it’s that the leather handbag wasn’t made in the country Italy, but rather, in the small town of the same name in Texas, United States. 

Highsnobiety posits the release could be the group’s way of commenting on the current state of “made in” descriptors in the luxury world. After all, what does a product’s nation of origin really mean anymore? 

Does having a ‘Made In Italy’ tag immediately guarantee the quality of an item, or do these labels no longer hold much weight considering how mass manufacturing has become the norm? Plus, shoppers never know if the final product was really made in the said nation, or just finished there.

Nonetheless, the actual tote on sale is quite a fashionable piece, with the words “MSCHF” and “Italy” embossed on its sides, and “Texas” appearing on the bottom of the bag. Plus, it’s functional, big enough for office supplies, and comes with an adjustable strap.

Head here to find out more about the premium leather ‘Made In Italy’ handbag, available in brown and black while supplies last.

[via Highsnobiety and WWD, images via MSCHF]