Fury over 11 September handbag

The beaded bag, which is on sale at Australian fashion chain Quick Brown Fox for A$159 (£60), has proved a best-seller.

Relatives of victims have denounced it as outrageous and insensitive and they accuse the company of cashing in on their tragedy.

But the owner of Quick Brown Fox says it is simply an artistic interpretation of the event.

The handbags, which originate from Beijing, show the World Trade Center being hit by the first terrorist plane, with the second plane looming into view.

Fashion statement

Paul Gyulavary, whose twin brother Peter was killed in the attack was appalled by the bag.

"The enormity of what happened and what has happened to me makes this seem all the more pathetic," he said in an interview with the Herald Sun daily.

"The whole thing showed me we are on this earth to contribute to humanity and make this a better place. I can't see how something like this is going to do that," Mr Gyulavary said.

The owner of Quick Brown Fox Tess Reeves has defended the design: "I thought they were an artistic interpretation of what is a tragic event."

"They are the sort of thing high fashion would do and thousands of them are being shipped to Europe every day."

Big seller

She said that despite the controversial subject matter, the bags had nearly sold out in her shops in Sydney and Melbourne .

"Some people have been upset. Others have looked at them as a type of ode to the event, so it's a collector's item," she said.

The events of 11 September have put entrepreneurs and victims at loggerheads.

Shortly after the disaster there was an outcry when T-shirts showing the attacks began selling like hot cakes in India.

And in New York street traders profited from unofficial memorabilia honouring the city's fire-fighters and police - much to the disgust of both departments.