MSCHF has introduced a new leather handbag called the Global Supply Chain Telephone, crafted through a collaborative effort by creative minds and artisans from four leather factories across the globe. This unique bag incorporates design features from renowned purse styles of luxury brands Hermès, Dior, Balenciaga, and Celine, merging them into a singular creation. The project serves as MSCHF’s stage to highlight the often-overlooked creative contributions of leather factory workers, whose skills are frequently utilized by high-fashion labels for their products.

The creation of the Global Supply Chain Telephone handbag is akin to a creative baton race. The bag travels through a quartet of leather factories, each infusing it with signature design traits from the collections of Hermès, Dior, Balenciaga, and Celine. Each factory is tasked with adding something new or altering the bag to align with a given design directive. MSCHF intentionally provided these factories with vague and challenging instructions to minimize their own influence on the decision-making process.

The journey began in a Peruvian leather factory, where MSCHF’s initial directive was to imitate a Hermès Birkin bag. The resulting imitation was then sent to a factory in Portugal, where the team was asked to modify it to resemble Celine’s Luggage bag. After incorporating elements from both the Birkin and Luggage designs, the bag was forwarded to India, where the task was to infuse it with the aesthetic of Dior’s Saddle Bag. Finally, the bag reached a Chinese factory, where the design was fine-tuned to echo the contours of Balenciaga’s Hourglass Handbag.

The Global Supply Chain Telephone handbag is a testament to the dedication and craftsmanship of these factories. MSCHF’s role was primarily to perform a final design review, which involved creating bespoke hardware to complement the bag’s final form, selecting premium materials, and ensuring the construction was of high quality. MSCHF emphasizes that their involvement was restricted to quality control rather than design alterations.

Through this handbag, MSCHF sheds light on the inventive problem-solving that takes place within the global supply chain, particularly in leather factories that often contribute to the collections of major fashion houses. The art collective points out that these producers bring forth solutions and ideas that may not have been anticipated by the brands, yet their creative input remains overshadowed.

The Global Supply Chain Telephone handbag is MSCHF’s invitation for observers to peek behind the curtain of the production process and recognize the various influences that shape the final product. The bag boasts a twill-lined interior, removable shoulder straps, and multiple pockets for functionality and style. Priced at 650 USD, this handbag is slated for release on February 21st, 2024.