New York-based designer Nik Bentel has unveiled the RC Car Handbag, a leather accessory that functions as a fully operational remote-control car.
Designed to blur the lines between fashion and function, the playful piece aims to challenge conventional ideas of what a handbag can be.
Bentel, who is known for his whimsical and experimental approach to design, created the RC Car Handbag as a nod to childhood nostalgia.
“The idea came from childhood toys and the thrill of movement – taking something inherently playful and unexpected and turning it into a luxury object,” Bentel told Dezeen. “It’s about merging nostalgia with high fashion in a way that feels both absurd and sophisticated.”
The bag nods to childhood nostalgia
Like Bentel’s past projects, including a croissant handbag and a hotdog purse, the RC Car Handbag explores the intersection of fashion, art and function.
The handbag is crafted from matte-black leather and features a fully functional four-wheel-drive system controlled by a remote, allowing it to drift and navigate spaces like a vintage toy car.
“The RC Car Handbag taps into collective childhood memories, but reinterprets them through craftsmanship and luxury materials,” Bentel explained.
“It’s about revisiting those playful instincts in an unexpected way and also an experiment in wearability – how far can you push an accessory before it becomes something else entirely?”
The handbag operates on a rechargeable battery, allowing it to retain its interactive function without compromising usability.
Each piece is hand-assembled, with the structured leather of the bag carefully moulded to house the remote-control components.
“The silhouette, material choices and detailing adhere to the standards of luxury accessories, while the kinetic function introduces an unexpected layer of interactivity,” Bentel said.
“The goal was to merge precision craftsmanship with the absurdity of movement.”
On top of being a fashion statement, Bentel designed the bag to spark curiosity and invite interaction.
“I love when objects blur boundaries to the point where people don’t know whether to wear them, play with them or display them,” Bentel said.
“The RC Car Bag is for someone who loves fashion as a conversation starter,” he added. “Whether it’s styled as an everyday bag or a statement piece, it’s meant to invite interaction – both from the wearer and everyone around them.”
Other handbags recently featured on Dezeen include a liquid 3D-printed silicone bag by Coperni and a Chopova Lowena bag designed to carry a mayonnaise jar and spoon.
The photography is courtesy of Nik Bentel Studio.
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