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Is Louis Vuitton’s Millionaire Speedy the priciest bag ever made? Pharrell Williams’ new US$1 million design may seem expensive – but pieces by Mouawad and Debbie Wingham are worth even more …

Louis Vuitton’s Millionaire Speedy bag designed by Pharrell Williams is now available – for a select few. Photos: Getty Images; @pjtucker/Instagram
It’s up for grabs, but only for the elite – after being carried by its creator, Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director Pharrell Williams, during Paris Fashion Week, the highly-anticipated Louis Vuitton Millionaire Speedy bag has finally been released.
Pharrell Williams (right) at Paris Fashion Week carrying the Millionaire Speedy. Photo: Getty Images

The Millionaire Speedy comes with a price tag of a staggering US$1 million, ensuring that it remains an indulgence reserved for a select few. It is exclusively made-to-order, seemingly only available to a vetted group of Louis Vuitton clientele, as NBA star PJ Tucker showed in an Instagram post. The bag is so exclusive that it is not even available on the official Louis Vuitton website at present.

NBA Star PJ Tucker shared a screenshot showing the exclusivity of the Millionaire Speedy. Photo: @pjtucker/Instagram

Crafted with crocodile leather, the bag is handmade and adorned with the iconic Louis Vuitton monogram, as most of the maison’s bags are, and features gold hardware, with a selection of five colours, including rouge (red), vert (green) and marron (brown), to choose from. The bag reportedly includes diamonds in its pendant, per The Guardian.

Williams’ creation is not the only bag to cost such a hefty amount of money. Here are some of the world’s most extravagant bags with price tags to match:

Chanel Diamond Forever: US$261,000

Madonna with the black version of the Chanel Diamond Forever. Photo: Chanel
Renowned fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and singer Madonna joined forces in a collaboration that resulted in a remarkable achievement at the famous Amfar dinner auction held annually at the Moulin de Mougins – they managed to sell a bag for an impressive US$261,000.

Lagerfeld crafted an ultra-luxurious black version of the “Diamond Forever” bag, especially for this occasion, which featured a white gold double “C” clasp adorned with an array of 334 diamonds, totalling 3.56 carats. The bag was held by a white gold chain, complemented by alligator skin lining.

Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse: US$3.8 million

The Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse was the costliest handbag in the world back in 2010. Photo: Mouawad

Designed by Lebanese jeweller Robert Mouawad, this heart-shaped bag broke the record to become the world’s most expensive handbag in 2010, per WWD.

It was crafted with 381.92 carats worth of yellow, pink and colourless diamonds, and it took 10 artisans to cover the bag’s surface with 4,517 of the precious gemstones: truly fitting as “a girl’s best friend”.

Debbie Wingham’s Upcycled Easter Egg Purse: US$6.7 million

 

Debbie Wingham made headlines in 2019 with the unveiling of the world’s most expensive handbag, valued at an incredible US$6.7 million. This creation was commissioned by an anonymous buyer from the United States who provided past-season designer items for integration into the bag. Wingham constructed the masterpiece using upcycled materials.

The purse is adorned with a staggering 8,000 diamonds, features an interior lined with an Hermès scarf, and fastens with a pair of US$40,000 Cartier earrings. However, the true embodiment of luxury lies within the bag’s core: a genuine Emu egg reinforced with enamel made from blue diamond dust, per Luxuo.

Fashion
  • The Millionaire Speedy is available only for an elite group of Louis Vuitton clientele – as demonstrated by NBA Star PJ Tucker – and so far isn’t even featured on the brand’s official website
  • Another bejewelled alligator skin handbag – the Chanel Diamond Forever – was designed by Karl Lagerfeld, who collaborated with Madonna to sell it for US$261,000 at an Amfar auction