PANART is pleased to announce its exclusive representation of Carry Me – 100 Years of Handbags for North America. In collaboration with Expona, this significant collection offers a nuanced exploration of the handbag’s evolution across more than a century of fashion, design, and cultural history.

Carry Me features a boutique selection of handbags—from early leather pouches and empire-waist silhouettes influenced by the discovery of Pompeii to iconic creations by Dior, Chanel, Gucci, and other major houses. These pieces are drawn from a private Italian collection and are rarely seen by the public.

More than a retrospective of style, the collection traces how handbags have mirrored and influenced social change. It reflects shifts in gender roles, economic structures, and personal identity, while examining how cultural figures—from Grace Kelly to Princess Diana—transformed the handbag into a symbol of power, elegance, and self expression.

“Art and fashion share a dynamic relationship, constantly influencing and inspiring each other. We are thrilled to be able to share this unique collection with our museum partners in North America, as well as having Expona at our side,” said Nicholas Kondoprias, President of PANART.

“A handbag is never just a fashion item — it's a mirror of its time. With 'Carry Me', we invite visitors to explore a century of style, identity, and social change through one of the most personal objects in everyday life.”—Alex Susanna, Director of Expona.

Available exclusively through PANART in North America, Carry Me – 100 Years of Handbags provides institutions and audiences with a rich visual archive of design history—underscoring the handbag’s place as a dynamic object of utility, symbolism, and cultural significance.

ABOUT PANART

With over two decades of expertise in fine art exhibitions, PANART Connections is a leader in bringing premier art collections to museums worldwide. Committed to representing the world's most discerning art collectors, PANART ensures their collections are showcased in renowned museums and institutions across the globe. Each collection represents a substantial part of an artist's body of work, making them ideally suited for standalone exhibitions that offer audiences a well-rounded and immersive experience.

ABOUT EXPONA

Expona is a trusted partner in the development and international touring of exhibitions—created with museums and for museums. With over 20 years of experience and over a 100 exhibitions realized, Expona specializes in delivering high quality exhibitions in the fields of archaeology, cultural history, fashion, and art. The company stands out through its long-standing expertise and its deep commitment to creating engaging, sustainable exhibitions in close collaboration with museums and institutions around the world.