Most Expensive Kite In The World
What is the most expensive kite in the world? It’s a simple question that’s quite tricky due to several factors. However, many ridiculously expensive kites have different specialties and differing reasons for their sky-high cost.
The Louis Vuitton monogram kite costs upwards of $10,000, many considering it an extremely expensive kite. However, some kites, specifically those custom-made with large sizes, can cost much. Examples include The Squid kite by Martin Lester at $13,000 and the Dragon kite by Wei Guoqiu at just under $35,000.
Let’s talk about crazy kites: the expensive, the big, and the boisterous. Let’s fly in and see what the crazy world of crazy kites offers.
It’s Expensive: Louis Vuitton GI0370
What is the most expensive kite in the world? While the rest of the world remained under lockdown during the COVID pandemic, many of us seemed to cope with the lockdown blues using social media, i.e., Tiktok. In December of 2020, a Tiktok user, Jeffry Huang, a user specializing inexpensive luxury products, found a rather costly kite: the Louis Vuitton GI0370 monogram kite.
The kite sparked a rather interesting discussion among the cybernauts. Some felt sorry, others a bit angry, while many left a chuckle. For sure, though, why was this kite costing upwards of $10,000?
The kite is not what you would identify as “big,” according to the Louis Vuitton website, the kite’s dimensions were merely 13 75 x 10 centimeters. The kite does not consist of silk extracted from an extinct species of silkworms either, as the kite uses nylon– yes, you’ve heard that right, cheap, light, and standard nylon. (source)
Do You Get Your Money’s Worth?
The Louis Vuitton website does not mention other fascinating features that may warrant that price tag. No mention of drift, durability, ease of control, nothing. However, the website promotes the sleek design of the kite case and the imprints in the kite case and the kite itself, referred to by Louis Vuitton’s site as the “Allover Monogram print.” You can guess what you are truly paying for when buying a Luis Vuitton kite.
It seems that many seem to share that sentiment. Cybernauts agree that Louis Vuitton’s great pricing stems from its brand name and value by skimming through most internet forums.
It’s not the most expensive kite globally, but it is not the most. So, what is the priciest kite?
What Is The Most Expensive Kite In The World?
We’ve been asking this for a while now: what is the most expensive kite? It’s an elusive question, and the unfortunate question is that nobody knows. There is no public information regarding the world’s most costly kite, who owns it, and when one purchased it.
But why is that, though? Everybody knows what the most expensive house is or the most expensive piece of jewelry. Funny enough, two days before writing, Rolls-Royce revealed a new model set to be the world’s most expensive car. (source)
So what makes the most expensive kite quite the mystery? Below, we present two theories as to why it is how it is.
Why Is There No Data For The Most Expensive Kite?
- The most expensive kites are custom-made and crafted with high-quality materials. Most purchases made this way are relatively unknown and are very secretive. As such, no public data is available.
- Many kites are unpriced, like the biggest kite ever recorded (which will be our topic later). Despite the possible appraisal of these kites reaching tens and thousands of dollars, their price remains unknown since their owners have no intention of selling them.
On Another Level Of Grandeur: What Is The Largest Kite?
While on the subject of the most expensive kite in the world, let us talk about other grand kites. What is the largest kite ever flown? Unlike the question before, we have a concrete answer to such a question.
According to multiple sources, which in turn have undergone verification by the Guinness World Records, concluded that the largest flight of a kite happened on February 15, 2005, in Kuwait City, Kuwait. It had extensive dimensions, 950 m² (10,225.7 ft²) when laid flat, and is 1019 m² in total area (10,968.4 ft²). Moreover, the kite measured 25.475 m (83 ft 7 in) long and 40 m (131ft 3 in) wide. (source)
The kite team composed of Abdulrahman Al Farsi and Faris al Farish manned the kite, which had taken the form of Kuwait’s flag. The team flew the flag over Kuwait Hala Festival in Flag Square, and many prominent figureheads of the time, including Kuwait’s energy minister, were present at the event. (source)
Of Red Dragons And Orient Pearls: The Longest Kite
We have talked about the most expensive kite globally, luxury kites, and even giant kites. It’s time to talk about the longest kite, and what else could it take a form of, if not the grand and mythical beast that is the dragon?
Truly fitting with its stature and design, where else can we find dragons, red and glorious, revered as much as China does? The flight team deployed the 280-meter-long kite during the 38th Weifang International Kite Festival in Shandong Province, China.
The International Kite Federation and Weifang Municipal People’s Government organized the festival, and over 200,000 people attended the opening ceremony of the kite-flying performances on April 17, 2021. Zhang Jianwei, the festival director, claims that the kite is the world’s longest ever. (source)
The kite was a spectacle, both in flight and during the creative process. Twenty-six artisans spent 48 days making this world’s longest dragon kite, making it an art to behold even before flight. The kite, measuring 7,700 meters in length, also debuted and flew in the air for six hours, stealing the thunder of all the other kites during the festival.
Kite, Flight, Hollywood: What Is The Most Famous Kite?
Kites have to be able to do two basic things– fly and sustain flight. We have talked about quite the exceptional kites, but how about something more relatable for a change? Aside from the most expensive kite in the world, what is the world’s most famous kite?
What makes a kite famous and popular is not how amazing a kite is, nor how expensive all its parts are, but it has to be functional and easy to acquire. The delta kite is the world’s most famous kite due to it being able to have a lot of the following functions:
Why Is The Delta Kite Popular?
- The delta kite is popular because it is easy to use. Moreover, it does not need a lot of wind power to provide lift. Steering and maneuvering delta kites are incredibly easy compared to heavier, more complex models.
- The delta kite is popular because it is cheap and easy to get. Aside from being fully functional, one can easily purchase the delta kite from the internet without much hassle. Moreover, it is also relatively easy to make at home.
- The delta kite is famous because it is conventional. When you imagine a kite, you are portraying the delta kite. It is the figurehead of kites. While one can argue that this status stems from the fact that it’s popular, it also isn’t farfetched to claim that its inherent popularity helps retain its “familiar” look.