How a designer turned a complex mathematical equation into a gorgeous, orb-like handbag

Can a handbag change the way you see the world?



The artist Nikolas Bentel’s newest creation is a chrome purse in the shape of an orb that warps light, creating a mesmerizing reflection of the world around it. It’s a fun accessory, but it is also made using a very complex mathematical calculation called the Dupin cyclide. It’s only recently that digital software has evolved to be able to create a physical version of this orb-like shape.



In many ways, the bag is a metaphor for our current moment. “We’re seeing our digital and physical realities collide,” says Bentel. “This bag brings both of these realities together.”



[Photo: courtesy Nic Bentel]



Bentel is known for his funny, satirical designs. He trained as an architect at Columbia, after receiving a joint degree from from Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design in industrial design and media. Today, he has a five-person studio in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood, where he’s been creating a range of objects from fashion accessories to furniture to home goods like knives and candles. Each item is designed to tell a story and make you see the world a little differently.



[Photo: Nik + Kort]



Together with his partner, Kortney Hinden, he recently launched a surrealist collection of objects inspired by the joy of the New York City picnic. For the blanket, they created an enormous version of Milton Glaser’s iconic “I heart New York” T-shirt. And he created leather harness designed to house a single slice of pizza and a bottle of ketchup or mustard. It makes you ask questions like, “What really is a bag?” and “Can food, even greasy ones, be an accessory?”



Bentel is also known for his series of handbags in the shape of everyday objects, like a Barilla pasta box or a brown shipping box covered in labels or a handbag shaped by an electrical cord . “By changing something 1%, like transforming a box into a bag, you can see the world differently,” says Bentel. “You take these everyday objects that you don’t think about much, and transform them into an aesthetic object you might carry to a party.”



[Photo: courtesy Nic Bentel]



A multipurpose bag



In all of this previous work, Bentel was using the form of a handbag to make you see objects like pizza and pasta boxes differently. But with his current Orb bag, Bentel wants the bag to make you see the world around you differently.



Bentel happened to stumble across the concept of the Dupin cyclide, first invented in 1802 by the mathematician Charles Dupin. It’s a mathematically precise shape that is created by rotating a cone around an axis. The final geometric shape is a continuous form that has a hole in the middle. And when it is created using a metallic material, it continually reflects the surrounding environment.



A prototype mold. [Photo: courtesy Nic Bentel]



When Dupin developed the mathematical equation to create the cyclide, it was purely theoretical. But with our current digital software technology, it is possible to created a 3D version of this shape. Bentel created the structure of the bag from acrylic using an injection mold. The exterior is painted with a reflective chrome. And there’s a hidden magnetic clasp to keep the smooth shape when it is shut.



[Photo: courtesy Nic Bentel]



The final object reflects the world in interesting ways. It morphs the images around you, making landscapes look like they’re stretched out around the cone. It looks like there is a black hole in the middle, where all light and attention gets sucked in. At the same time, it also looks like a chic handbag you might bring to a gala or a date.



The bag will be available for $250 on Bentel’s website starting at 10 a.m. today. It comes in a limited edition of 150 pieces, and each comes with a unique verification token.