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Renzo Piano designs a handbag replica of his new Whitney Museum of American Art

Renzo Piano designs a handbag replica of his new Whitney Museum of American Art

The new Whitney Museum of American Art is opening on Friday, May 1. (Get your sneak peek inside the museum over here!) But a whopping 28,000 ton museum isn’t the only thing Renzo Piano has up his sleeve—he’s also designed the must-have fashion accessory with which to be seen browsing art at Manhattan’s newest Meatpacking District hotspot. Behold, the “Whitney Bag.”

The handbag was officially unveiled last week at a star-studded event atop the Standard hotel, which features sweeping views of the new Whitney. The limited edition bag is being launched in conjunction with the opening of the museum, and Renzo Piano collaborated on the bag’s design with MaxMara creative director Ian Griffiths. Staying true to his design ethos, Piano’s first handbag features clean lines and distinct detailing.

In an interview with MaxMara, Piano said the purse design is directly linked to the building. “The initial idea was very clear right from the start: our aim was to apply one of the most characteristic elements of the museum project – the facade—to the bag: hence the idea of the modular strips enveloping the exterior,” Piano said. Griffiths told NY Mag‘s The Cut blog at the launch, “I just hope that in 20 years’ time, the bag is as much of an icon as this building.”

Piano added that the Whitney Bag would likely remain his only handbag design. “This is our first such experience, and I believe it will remain the only one,” he said. “We decided to take up the proposal by Max Mara because it was closely connected to the Whitney Museum of American Art and its upcoming opening to the public, and also with the intention of dedicating the profits to the Renzo Piano Foundation to finance its cultural and educational projects.”

The Whitney Bag will be available in two sizes and four colors, but only 250 of the signature grey-blue bag inspired by the color of the museum are being made (and are reportedly sold out).

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