Boarini Milanesi is a luxury handbag brand established in Italy in 2016, to celebrate Italian elegance, excellence in manufacturing and the uniqueness of every client. They have just launched a 6 million Euro bag (approximately 5.5 million Pounds) which makes it the most expensive bag ever made!
The primary reason for its creation is to raise awareness of the need to protect our seas, which are becoming even more threatened than usual by non-biodegradable plastics due to the Covid-19 pandemic. From the sale of each bag, 800,000 euros will be donated towards the cleaning the oceans.
The brand decided to create the bag for a very specific reason that links to the personal story of one of the brands two founders and designers, Matteo Rodolfo Milanesi.
Matteo Rodolfo, who lost his father when he was just a teenager, has lots of memories of him linked to the sea: “We used to spend every summer at sea, between Greece and Turkey, and I was happiest when we would go on boat trips between the islands” says Matteo Rodolfo. “Even though mass tourism was still a long way off, we would often see plastic bags floating on the water or patches of tar leaked by oil tankers”.
“Recently, I have seen even more plastic in the sea than when I was a child, due to the pandemic and all the gloves and face masks that are being carelessly thrown away. This reminded me of my father, who used to dive into the water to collect the plastic bags and bottles floating in the sea and help me wipe the patches of tar that I found on the beach when I was building sand castles off my hands”.
This is why Carolina Boarini, co-founder and designer of the brand, and I decided to do something to help raise awareness of the need to respect the environment. He is dedicating this particular bag to his father, who cared so much about the crystal clear waters of the seas and oceans.
The project also includes a practical initiative for cleaning the seas: Boarini Milanesi undertakes to donate 800 thousand euros of the proceeds (approximately 720 thousand Pounds) to cleaning and operations in defence of the marine environment.
Each Boarini Milanesi handbag is made using centuries old techniques and the finest materials and craftsman - and, of course, Italian flair!
There are only three of these bags in the world. It is a Parva Mea model, made of semi-shiny alligator, adorned with a diamond pavé accessory and 10 white gold butterflies with sapphires, diamonds and Paraiba tourmalines, for a total of over 130 carats and consuming a 1,000 hours of craftsmanship.
The choice of the stones is linked to seawater: Carolina Boarini tells us “Blue sapphires represent the depths of the oceans, Paraiba tourmaline reminds us of the uncontaminated Caribbean seas and diamonds refer to the transparency of water when it falls in the form of rain”.
The brand’s founders and designers, Carolina Boarini and Matteo Rodolfo Milanesi, strongly believe in the concept "less, but better": fewer products, but of higher quality, to reduce the environmental impact. Every Boarini Milanesi handbag is made to order, exclusively for the client, with their name embossed on the leather.
The luxury and craftsmanship behind the Boarini Milanesi handbag are truly remarkable, especially when combined with a noble cause like ocean preservation. It's inspiring to see how personal stories and memories can drive such meaningful initiatives. For those who appreciate high-quality materials and timeless elegance, adding a touch of scottish cashmere to your wardrobe could complement the sophisticated style of these handbags beautifully. It's wonderful to witness a brand that values both environmental responsibility and exceptional craftsmanship.