Abstract, Avant-Garde, and Alien-Inspired: The Most Unique Designer Handbags of All Time
From the Coperni Glass Swipe Bag to Coach's Banana Bag, take a look at some of the most viral, unique designer handbags throughout history.
While handbags are often utilized for their functionality—after all, who wants to carry around all of their essentials in a pocket or two?—more and more designers have begun to lean into the abstract and unique handbag trend that has emerged in recent years. While some crazy designer handbags have been released as a result of deep, creative genius and underlying symbolic meaning, others, like Demna's many shoe-shaped bags for Balenciaga, have been presented as a sheer expression of human capacity for joy and whimsy. By utilizing funky shapes, toying with size, and crafting from uncommonly used materials—think glass, steel, and concrete—the roster of unique designer handbags has increased exponentially even in the past few seasons alone, opening the door for even more abstract, unique handbag designs in store for the future.
Discover some of the most unique designer handbags of all time, ranging from Valentino's viral microbag to Beyoncé's iconic Judith Leiber cash clutch.
Coperni Air Bag
Composed of 99 percent air and only 1 percent glass, the Air Swipe Bag is constructed from aerogel—an ultra-delicate nanomaterial often used by NASA for obtaining stardust. Aerogel, which is the lightest solid on the planet, is extremely porous, meaning a large portion of the volume of the material is actually air. Weighing in at only 1.16 ounces, the Coperni Air Swipe Bag, which debuted as part of the label's Fall/Winter 2024 collection, is both scientifically innovative, seeing as it's the largest structure to be created out of aerogel, as well as functional—which Coperni confirmed via social media, revealing that the bag can hold an iPhone.
Chanel Teapot Bag
During its 2023 Métiers d'Art runway show in Manchester, Chanel snuck in an homage to its British host city in the form of a handbag. Models strode down the runway with miniature sequined teapots and bedazzled loose-leaf tea tins slung over their shoulders, a subtle, yet playful gesture. With guests clad in bedazzled Man-U jerseys present at a match the night before the show, a myriad of quintessentially Northern England-style skirts featured on the runway, and to top it all off, tea-inspired handbags, it's safe to say that Chanel struck a chord with the unique city of Manchester.
Balenciaga Garbage Bag
"Accessories are enlarged and exaggerated, emphasizing reuse and alternative materials," explained Demna, creative director of Balenciaga, in the show notes for the label's Fall/Winter 2022 collection, before continuing to comment "The Trash Pouch is inspired by a garbage bag."
Critics online wondered if the bag was a joke, a social experiment, or a last-minute addition to the collection. While Demna clarified the bag was none of the above, the designer did not stray away from the attention. “I couldn’t miss an opportunity to make the most expensive trash bag in the world, because who doesn’t love a fashion scandal?” Demna told WWD in 2022.
The bag, made from a bio-fabricated mycelium-based leather alternative, aligns with the collection's mission to emphasize reuse, and while it did fetch a high price, starting at $1,790, this unique designer handbag was created with a sustainable aim in mind.
Valentino Mini Bag
Microbags have been anything but a microtrend in the past few years, with variations of ultra-mini handbags appearing in collections of designers ranging from Valentino to Jacquemus. At the 2019 AMAs, Lizzo rocked this white micro bag by Valentino and instantly went viral, prompting the internet's response of both widespread confusion and respect for the singer's willingness to make a statement.
Thom Browne Animal Handbag
While the animal icon bags are an iconic line in Thom Browne's collection, they are not often seen on the red carpet or featured as part of event looks, as they are often forgone in favor of the designer's ever-fashionable top-handle bags and sleek leather purses. However, as the public perception grows more comfortable with less typical handbags and turns toward more eccentric designs to complete looks, Thom Browne's animal bags, particularly the dog styles, have been seen more and more in recent years. The original animal icon bag, affectionately titled the Hector Bag after the designer's own beloved dachshund that inspired the handbag, is among the most iconic dog muses in fashion history and served to inspire a regularly expanding collection of animal-themed handbags.
At the 2021 Met Gala, Erykah Badu stepped onto the red carpet in head-to-toe Thom Browne, a look completed with a custom Hector Bag. The 2021 Met Gala, which was themed "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion," was one that inspired guests and designers alike to draw inspiration from a variety of sources, including classically American styles, silhouettes, subcultures, and current events and issues. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Thom Browne explained his design vision when it came to dressing Badu, saying “Erykah is an American icon, she is a true definition of the creativity in America," summing up precisely why Badu's sleek, sophisticated look was made complete with a fresh twist on one of the most unique designer handbags in the industry.
Also accompanied by a Thom Browne animal bag was Janelle Monáe, who brought along a white quilted cat handbag to the 2023 Met Gala in recognition of Karl Lagerfeld, the gala's inspiration and theme that year, and his iconic cat Choupette. Like Badu, Monáe was fully outfitted in the designer's work and even managed to pull off a complete outfit metamorphosis on the carpet, all while holding onto the unique designer handbag.
Coperni Glass Bag
While the Coperni Glass Swipe Bag made a red carpet debut on multiple occasions in 2022, by far most buzzed about was Doja Cat's appearance with the unique designer handbag at the 2022 Grammy Awards, where the bag, custom-made in a matching blue hue, was paired with a crystal-emblazoned, icy blue Atelier Versace dress.
Aside from being spotted on the arm of Doja Cat, the popular bag was also worn by Tinashe, who sported the glass bag in a rosy pink shade, and Kylie Jenner, who utilized a clear glass bag to show off new Kylie Cosmetics products.
Simone Rocha Egg Bag
As part of the brand's Spring/Summer 2020 collection, Simone Rocha introduced the world to the egg bag, the latest in the realm of quirky, unique designer bags. Made of shimmery mother-of-pearl, the egg bag was a much-buzzed-about accessory in the fashion world, leaving viewers stunned at how the brand effortlessly created a bag equal in its elegance and eccentricity.
Just a few years later, egg bags were big on the Fall/Winter 2023 runways, appearing in collections ranging from Bottega Veneta to The Row, and once again, Simone Rocha, proving the fascination with the abstract ovoid bag is far from over.
Judith Leiber Cash Clutch
In the world of unique designer handbags, Judith Leiber is second to none in terms of whimsy, craftsmanship, and range, with the brand's eclectic handbag collection including clutches shaped like anything from realistically iced cupcakes to pointy stiletto shoes. In particular, the brand's cash-shaped clutch has historically been a hit amongst A-listers, appearing on the arms of both Jennifer Lopez and Khloé Kardashian.
However, Beyoncé, everpresent in an evolution mindset, arrived at Jay-Z's 2019 Shawn Carter Foundation gala with the same bejeweled clutch, customized to appear as billion-dollar bills, offering a not-so-subtle, but no less stylish reminder of the couple's immense success and net worth. For her gala look, Queen Bey paired the unique designer handbag with a form-fitting nude, sequined dress and her signature honey-colored curls.
Balenciaga Ikea Bag
In 2017, Balenciaga shocked the world with the release of its imitation Ikea tote bag. Modeled after the original, the bag is an oversized structured sky-blue leather tote, but in classic Demna style, the bold yellow Ikea label typically seen on the bag's handle has been replaced with Balenciaga emblazoned in gold. News outlets, social media users, and the fashion world alike were in shambles, especially once the price tag for the bag was revealed—a cool $2,145. The bag was critiqued for recontextualizing the original product—an extremely accessible functional tote bag that cost only 99 cents—into a luxury handbag few could afford, but others argued that at the very least, the bag was functional and well-crafted.
While the world was up in arms about this seemingly harmless bag, Ikea itself had a different take. "We are deeply flattered that the Balenciaga tote bag resembles the Ikea iconic sustainable blue bag for 99 cents," Ikea told a spokesperson at Today. "Nothing beats the versatility of a great big blue bag.”
Chanel Hula Hoop Bag
Historically, Chanel has released handbags in a variety of quirky shapes including a shopping basket, a film projector, a gasoline tank, a Matryoshka doll, and a milk carton, resulting in an enduring reputation as a brand consistent in its eccentricity, meaning the presentation of the oversized Hula Hoop bag on the Spring/Summer 2013 runway should come as no surprise to anyone.
"It's for the beach," Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel's creative director at the time, reportedly told the Daily Telegraph, "You need space for the beach towel. And then you can put it into the sand and hang things on it."
Although this iteration of the unique designer handbag was never released for retail, Chanel did offer a smaller, just slightly scaled-back version of the iconic hula hoop bag available for purchase shortly after the unveiling of the original handbag.
Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin Minaudiere Bag
One of the most expensive Louis Vuitton handbags to be produced, the limited edition collaborative project between the French luxury fashion house and Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama was available for purchase at Selfridges London for just over $133,000 as part of a limited edition accessories collection for the luxury retailer. Complete with Kusama's signature polka dots, a rounded pumpkin shape, and Louis Vuitton's classically masterful craft techniques, this unique designer handbag is one of the quirkiest—and the most expensive—purses to come out of the last decade or so of handbag releases.
Coach Banana Bag
As Coach shifts its attention toward capturing the attention of younger generations of fashionistas, it's no surprise that the label made a return to novelty bags, showcasing the house's whimsical, fun-loving identity alongside the sleek, ultra-cool leather pieces that were in abundance on the Fall/Winter 2023 runway, and proving that the two aesthetics can coexist in style. Leather totes were in no shortage on Coach's runway, taking the form of dinosaurs, apples, stars, hearts, and bananas—the latter of which went viral on social media following the show, hooking the attention of kitsch aficionados and handbag lovers alike. Aside from its appeal to new demographics, this unique designer handbag reinforces the burgeoning movement of creating pieces for the pure pleasure of embracing a little bit of fun and whimsy in life.
Sportmax Futuristic Bag
While many brands opted for clean, sharply structured looks on the Spring/Summer 2024 runways, Sportmax took inspiration from an ultra-modern, dystopian aesthetic, resulting in a runway collection rife with natural asymmetries, biological-inspired silhouettes and patterns, and flowing gauzy fabrics. In their exploration of the nature of change and evolution, Sportmax opted to pair an oversized metallic, abstract handbag with several looks, creating a stir amongst the public with the futuristic, geometric accessories, that many dubbed 'space shuttle bags' and alien-like, marking a clear space for this line among the more unique designer handbags released in recent years.