How Max Mara’s Whitney Bag Won Over Celebrities From Choi Hee-Jin To Pia Wurtzbach

As the Whitney bag celebrates its 10th anniversary, we take a closer look at its unique design

Pia Wurtzbach Max Mara Whitney bag — Pia Wurtzbach with the Max Mara Whitney bag, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year

Does the perfect bag exist? If you define “perfect” as having clean lines and an elegant structure, then yes. See: the Max Mara Whitney bag.

The geometric handbag was introduced in 2015. That year marked the opening of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, which was designed by the renowned architectural firm, the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW). To celebrate the occasion, Max Mara tapped RPBW for a unique collaboration.

“Max Mara came up with the idea of asking us to design a bag that would, in some way, embody the building,” says Elisabetta Trezzani, a partner and director of RPBW. “The fact that it was an Italian company championing Italian craftsmanship gave us the motivation to consider and ultimately accept this challenge.”

The Making of The Whitney Bag

Max Mara’s Whitney bag is made in collaboration with the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (Photo: Max Mara) — The Whitney bag is made in collaboration with the Renzo Piano Building Workshop

The Whitney bag has a ribbed texture that is meticulously crafted by hand (Photo: Max Mara) — The Whitney bag has a ribbed texture that is meticulously crafted by hand

The result of the collaboration was the Whitney bag, whose boxy, ribbed design draws from the striking façade of the Whitney Museum. The making of the bag is a meticulous process, which involves artisans carefully cutting out rectangular panels of leather and then neatly assembling them to create the bag’s ribbed texture, featuring vertical slits.

“I would definitely describe it as a ‘joyful and fun’ collaboration that has allowed us to share, with both enthusiasm and precision, our mutual focus on the details, especially when it comes to choosing materials,” shares Trezzani.

Upon its launch in 2015, the Max Mara Whitney bag established itself as an icon of Italian design. The accessory was featured in the collections of esteemed arts institutions like the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. Over the years, the bag has also proven popular among stylish stars including Gigi Hadid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung, and GRAZIA cover star Pia Wurtzbach.

Max Mara Unveils A Limited-Edition Whitney Bag

10th anniversary Max Mara Whitney bag — Max Mara unveils a limited-edition Whitney bag to celebrate its 10th anniversary (Photo: Max Mara)

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Whitney bag, and Max Mara has reimagined the accessory in new colours, new sizes and a new five-ribbed design. The Italian fashion brand has also unveiled a limited-edition Whitney bag which is crafted from leather in an aluminium shade—a nod to the Whitney Museum’s metallic exterior—and which features a bright red nappa lining, offering a surprising contrast to the bag’s façade.

Ahead, see all the ways that celebrities have sported the Whitney bag with impeccable style.