Vinyl records may be selling better than they have in decades, but collecting and playing them remains a niche hobby reserved primarily for enthusiasts. And it looks like Saint Laurent is ready to take the pastime into even more rarified air with a record player that costs more than a BMW 3-Series.
The French fashion house’s umbrella for limited-edition luxury goods, Rive Droite, has teamed up with Pierre Riffaud for a new limited-edition marble turntable that comes with a jaw-dropping $44,000 price tag, according to HypeBeast. To put that into figure into context, that’s nearly $2,000 more than the starting price of BMW’s entry-level luxury sedan.
Of course, the sky-high price tag isn’t just for bragging about: this exclusive record player also happens to be an audiophile’s dream. Pierre Riffaud started making turntables in the mid-’80s and has garnered a reputation over the last four decades for crafting players that combine beautiful design, exquisite materials and technical excellence. And it would appear its collaboration with Rive Droite is no different. Built atop a grand marble base, each piece of the turntable is handmade to ensure the perfect balance and precision.
“The quality of sound, simplicity and originality is what makes them so prestigious,” Saint Laurent said of the record player maker in a statement. “Riffaud’s turntables are compared to high fashion technology.”
Saint Laurent Rive Droite x Pierre Riffaud viny table Saint Laurent Rive Droite
Started by creative director Anthony Vaccarello, the Rive Droite collection, has become the home for Saint Laurent’s most audacious non-clothing offerings. Over the last year, it’s put its name on a $25,925 art book, a pair of $8,840 set of Zai Skis and a $3,025 skateboard covered entirely in gold leaf. (And don’t forget its gold-wrapped condoms.)
As high as it may be, the Saint Laurent Rive Droite x Pierre Riffaud vinyl table price tag isn’t the only thing that keeps it exclusive. Even though there are two Rive Droite locations, in Paris and Los Angeles, you’ll have to travel to the City of Lights to get your hands on one of these record players.
