- Handbag inspired by Tyrannosaurus rex made from lab-grown collagen linked to fossils
- The bag is displayed at Amsterdam's Art Zoo museum until May 11 before auction
- Enfin Leve designed the bag with sterling silver and black diamond details
The mix of science and fashion is getting wilder by the day. This time, it has brought something straight out of prehistory into a luxury showcase.
A new handbag inspired by the Tyrannosaurus rex is grabbing global headlines. The bag is made using lab-grown collagen linked to T. rex fossils, turning ancient biology into modern fashion.
Around 66 million years after the dinosaurs went extinct, their traces are now part of a luxury accessory. The idea is simple: create leather without animals, but with a unique scientific edge.
Where You Can See It?
The teal-coloured bag is currently on display at Amsterdam's Art Zoo museum. It sits on a rock, inside a cage, right under a T. rex replica. The setup is meant to highlight the connection between the past and the present.
Visitors can check it out until May 11. After that, the bag will be auctioned. The starting price is expected to cross $500,000 (around Rs 5 crore), as per a report by Outlook India.
Who Made The Bag?
The piece comes from fashion label Enfin Leve. It features details in sterling silver and black diamonds.
There is also a small sample of the material, about 10 by 15 cm, which is reportedly valued between €10,000 and €20,000 (approximately Rs 10,80,000 to Rs 21,60,000).
How The Material Was Created?
The material was developed by VML along with The Organoid Company and Lab-Grown Leather Ltd.. Scientists started with fossilised collagen fragments found in T. rex remains in the US.
They then rebuilt missing parts to form a complete collagen structure. This was placed into host cells, which produced new collagen. That collagen was later turned into leather.
“There were a lot of technical challenges,” said Thomas Mitchell, CEO of The Organoid Company.
This team has tried unusual ideas before. In 2023, they created a giant meatball using woolly mammoth DNA mixed with sheep cells.
Che Connon from Lab-Grown Leather Ltd. believes the dinosaur link gives the product an edge. “It's not just about a green alternative to leather, it's a technological upgrade,” he said.
With science pushing limits like this, fashion is clearly entering a whole new era.
