Artist and designer Nik Bentel has collaborated with Absolut Vodka to turn fashion’s cocktail into a handbag.
One thing about me: I love a mini handbag. Ten points if it’s a statement piece. Bentel’s newest piece checks all the boxes. Half of the purse resembles the drink itself: a cream and coffee-colored pouch mimics the cocktail’s foam and liquored coffee base. Three faux espresso beans top the “drink” off in classic martini style.
The leather pouch attaches via magnet to the second portion of the bag, a faux martini glass that completes the illusion. Only 200 editions of the bag were made – no more, no less. So if you want this novelty and reasonably affordable ($199) conversation starter, act fast. The Absolut Espresso Martini Handbag releases exclusively on Bentel’s website on November 25th.
Size-wise, the bag holds no more than a coin purse — it’s definitely not designed for large capacity but it's sufficient for essential wallet contents and an emergency lipgloss. Cute? Absolutely. Practical? TBD. (Though one thing I've learned as a lover of mini-bags is to never underestimate their storage capacity.)
The concept of transforming ordinary objects into chic accessories brings to mind the dazzlingly imaginative minaudieres of Judith Leiber (though Bentel’s bags are a bit more affordable — by a few thousand dollars, that is). If you’re looking for more options to decorate your cocktail lounge of accessories, Lieber offers a sparkly cosmo bag, worn by Queen Bey herself, as well as a bloody mary clutch.
Bentel’s archive is home to other inventive pieces including the eclectic shipping box bags and viral Barilla pasta bag. Just as clever as its predecessors, the espresso martini bag attempts to quench handbag lovers’ thirst for boldness.
Originating in a London nightclub in the ‘80s, the espresso martini was first created for a model who wanted a drink to “wake me up and then fuck me up”. Like all trends, the drink has come and gone — but with the rise of coffee-based drinks on TikTok, the espresso martini has re-entered the chat.
What do we think? Will Bentel’s bag help reignite our love of the espresso martini, or have we moved on to the negroni…sbagliato… with prosecco in it?
