What Is Ashley Olsen Hiding in That Infamous $39,000 Backpack?

Tara Gonzalez

May 18, 2020 at 4:15 PM·4 min read

If I owned a $39,000 backpack, I don’t think I’d ever let her out of my sight. I’d also probably not be writing this sentence right now but off on a rich farm with thousands of lavender plants and cute goats like Gigi and Bella Hadid. I’m also pretty sure I’d never take this backpack on the subway or put it down on a NYC sidewalk, in fear of hurting her. But this weekend, Ashley Olsen re-wore the infamous $39,000 The Row backpack she designed with her sister outside of their NYC office, and she placed it down on the sidewalk in the midst of a global pandemic. But this isn’t about me or Ashley. This is about something bigger and more expensive. This is the story of a $39,000 backpack that defied all odds.

When The Row first released this $39,000 backpack people could barely believe it. Anderson Cooper deemed it ridiculous. But then Barneys’ Fashion Director Amanda Brooks infamously told Fashionista, “I think if you were ever going to spend $39,000 on a bag, that's the bag you should buy because I think you'd wear it for a really long time. There's enough design to make it interesting and beautiful but they truly are classic bags — and I think you also might be the only one who has it.” To be fair, she has a point in that if you buy a $39,000 backpack, chances are you’re never going to run into someone else with a $39,000 backpack.

According to Ashley Olsen, the bag does seem pretty functional and fits quite a bit. After placing the backpack down for a smoke break, Olsen picked the backpack back up and her laptop could be seen hanging out, with a cord attached to something else. Maybe it was her phone. Maybe it was nothing. There could be caviar in there for all we know. Or just Mary Kate’s belongings from The Row office she asked her sister to pick up amidst her emergency divorce battle. Or maybe there are three more laptops in there. Anything is possible. Maybe that’s the allure of a $39,000 backpack.

Ashley Olsen has not showed us her bare arms since August 14, 2017
— rachel seville tashjian (@theprophetpizza) November 27, 2018

While the backpack inspired a collaboration with Damien Hirst that retailed for $55,000 at boutique Just One Eye and also sold out immediately, The Row has not re-released either of its viral backpacks. It has also lowered the price of the backpacks it has made since. Two are available right now at Saks Fifth Avenue. One is notably missing a zero that would make it viral and costs just $3,900. Another costs just under $3k at $2,850.

But if you’d prefer not to spend an entire three years rent on a backpack that doesn’t also serve as shelter, black backpacks in general cost far less than $39,000. Even fancy designer backpacks only cost a couple of hundred dollars, which sounds like a steal in hindsight. And while owning a backpack that hasn’t gone viral for its limited qualities and ridiculous price tag does mean you’re more likely to run into someone that owns it, don’t forget the time we’re living in. You literally can’t run into anyone anymore.

Shop backpacks that are not $39,000 below.

The Row Leather Backpack

Shop now: $3,900; saksfifthavenue.com

The Row Moulded Leather Backpack

Shop now: $2,850; saksfifthavenue.com

Matt & Nat 'Fabi' Faux Leather Laptop Backpack

Shop now: $185; nordstrom.com

Strathberry Leather Backpack

Shop now: $516 (Originally $645); nordstrom.com

Longchamp Le Foulonne Leather Backpack

Shop now: $575; nordstrom.com

Clare V. Marcelle Leather Backpack

Shop now: $425; nordstrom.com

Allsaints Small Kita Convertible Leather Backpack

Shop now: $378; nordstrom.com

Mansur Gavriel Mini Leather Backpack

Shop now: $675; nordstrom.com

Herschel Supply Co. Settlement Light Backpack

Shop now: $70; nordstrom.com

Adidas by Stella McCartney Gymsack Drawcord Technicak Backpack

Shop now: $103; matchesfashion.com

Adidas by Stella McCartney Gym Sack Canvas Shoulder Bag

Shop now: $170; matchesfashion.com

Prada Vela Nylon Backpack

Shop now: $1,049; matchesfashion.com

STATE Kane Coated Canvas Bag

Shop now: $120; shopbop.com

Caraa Cirrus Medium Backpack

Shop now: $250; shopbop.com

Tumi Voyageur Just in Case Travel Backpack

Shop now: $80; zappos.com

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