The world’s most expensive handbag is by Rabanne and costs 250,000 euros

Rabanne burst onto the Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025 scene with a proposal that takes the word ‘luxury’ to another level. The maison has unveiled what they’re already calling ‘the world’s most expensive bag’, and the hype is justified. After pop sensation Chappell Roan dazzled at the MTV VMA Awards in a medieval chain-mail dress that paid homage to the brand’s archives, Rabanne now dares to rewrite its own history, bringing back one of its most iconic pieces of jewellery.

The star accessory, christened Nano 1969, is a true miniature work of art, crafted in 18-carat gold. This exclusive bag is a clear nod to the mythical ‘most expensive dress’ that Paco Rabanne designed for the French muse Françoise Hardy in 1968, a dress made of gold and diamonds that paralysed the fashion world at the time. And if one thing has become clear, it is that Rabanne’s futuristic and experimental aesthetic remains timeless.

Julien Dossena, the house’s current creative director, has decided to travel back in time, dive into the archives and go back to the very essence of Rabanne. Back in 1966, the founder challenged conventions with his debut collection ‘12 impossible dresses’, made from contemporary materials such as metal and plastic. Today, Dossena immerses himself in that same creative irreverence, fusing history and avant-garde in each design.

The first time Hardy wore that gown of 1,000 gold plates and 300 carats of diamonds, she did so surrounded by security measures worthy of a national treasure. And now, the 2025 version of the 1969 golden handbag is back on the catwalk with a dizzying price tag of 250,000 euros. The most impressive thing? The savoir-faire behind this piece: 100 hours of craftsmanship in collaboration with French jeweller Arthus Bertrand.

But the show didn’t stop there. Two other memorable bags accompanied the Nano: one in Murano glass, made by the historic Venini house in Venice, with a marbled effect that plays with the light in a hypnotic way. The second, a ceramic bag made up of handmade discs by Astier de Villatte, highlights the fusion between fashion and art. Rabanne, true to its DNA, has once again demonstrated that innovation and extreme luxury are not at odds with history.

Troye Sivan is Rabanne’s first global make-up ambassador.