Paris: A luxury handbag created using material developed from traces of collagen linked to a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil failed to find a buyer at a Paris auction, after bidding fell significantly short of expectations.
The one-of-a-kind accessory was offered for sale at auction house Drouot on June 11. Organisers had expected the bag to fetch more than $640,000, but the highest bid reached only around $192,000, leading to the item remaining unsold.
The handbag was developed using biotechnology and collagen traces reportedly extracted from a T-Rex fossil discovered in Montana, United States, about 25 years ago. Scientists used laboratory techniques to create a leather-like material inspired by the ancient dinosaur's biological structure.
The bag was first unveiled in Amsterdam and attracted international attention due to its unusual origin and blend of science, fashion and palaeontology. While the project was promoted as a breakthrough in sustainable luxury materials, the auction result suggests that interest from potential buyers did not match expectations.
Experts say the creation remains a notable example of how biotechnology is increasingly being explored in the fashion industry, even as questions remain about commercial demand for such experimental products.
