Luxury fashion or lunacy?
Luxury fashion has a unique way of enchanting the world; owing to good quality materials, appealing designs, and impeccable artistry, their offerings often feel worth the hefty price tags. Look around and you’ll spot people proudly wearing branded labels. Sometimes, it’s the quiet lavish appeal of these brands that gently sweeps you off your feet; other times, they’re so in your face that you simply can’t miss them.
Think infamous Juicy Couture tracksuits with bold butt labels, Moschino’s signature bears, or T-shirts plastered with Burberry or Gucci logos. If you thought the craze for overtly branded clothes marked the end of luxurious poise, think again. Believe me, there’s so much more that it will leave you questioning your sanity. Still double-guessing? Let’s unravel further.
For a very long time, we have all associated luxury brands with understated, logo-free designs that speak timelessness. However, these brands are now evolving and have taken their marketing tactics to the next level with the introduction of big logos and loud designs. Even though luxury connoisseurs always consider bold logos to be tacky, labels continue to produce them in bulk. Wondered why? The answer is simple as clothes with prominent logos are walking advertisements. They help create instant recognition and brand recall value. As consumers walk around the streets in such apparel, they promote the brand to a wide audience, reinforcing its presence in the high-end market.
While establishing a brand’s recall value is understandable, some of the current practices are beyond my comprehension. For instance, have you seen Balenciaga’s recent products? Think: the tape bracelet or the towel skirt. Or maybe Louis Vuitton’s sandwich bag? Or the new perfume for dogs by Dolce & Gabbana? If you have seen even one of these going viral online — for both appeal and absurdity — you must have been amused too, right?
Now, the question arises whether luxury taking the shape of absurdity is just a form of expression or a medium to go viral. As today’s audience is eager to pick up on funny and atrocious things instantly, there’s no better marketing stint than to launch a product that will immediately gather attention.
This surely creates eminent brand visibility and recall: yes, better than big bold logos. While it’s best to leave the real intent behind such products to the brands who are releasing them, it can be safely concluded that all publicity is good publicity indeed! All we can do is get amazed together. So, let’s check out some of the luxury items that break conventional boundaries and take grandeur to a whole new realm. Here are five such items that left netizens scratching their heads.
Men’s Metallic Tote Bag by Prada
Prada launched this men’s tote in September 2024. This metallic leather tote has embossed checker plate motifs, achieved by hot stamping. Priced at US$ 3,247, this tote comes with twin top handles and a zipped pocket inside. If you’ve been to India or live in India, you must have noticed the floors of buses and trains. That’s exactly what this luxury fashion bag reminded the web surfers of. Most social media users were in splits because of its design, others couldn’t justify the price tag!
The Tape Bracelet by Balenciaga
Balenciaga released the Tape Bracelet as a part of its Fall/Winter 2024 Collection in March 2024. Priced at a whopping US$ 4,000, this bracelet will surely take you back to your dad’s garage as it looks like a regular roll of clear tape. Only that it has the Balenciaga logo plastered all over it. I think it’s perfect for DIY junkies who have some staggering amount in their bank accounts! The bracelet garnered a lot of popularity — not because of its unmissable beauty but because the Internet almost unanimously found it hilarious. Some were also appalled with its looks. Luxury fashion critics felt it was just another way of using poverty as entertainment.
Inflatable Rubber Boots by Rick Owen
Once upon a time, people suggested that to judge a person’s character, you must look at their shoes. But, what will these shoes suggest? Well, I am not too sure! These inflatable shoes were released in January 2024 as a part of Rick Owen’s Fall Collection. These were designed by a South African-Australian-Finnish-born designer, Straytukay. These futuristic-looking shoes, look like a huge balloon starting around the knees and going down to the feet. Priced at US$ 4,485, these are available in a variety of colours: black, red, green, and stone. These shoes are sure to add a lot of drama to your life. And, they might just save you from drowning in a pool!
The Sandwich Bag by Louis Vuitton
Drawing its inspiration from the classic brown-paper sandwich bag, Louis Vuitton launched this bag. Priced at US$ 3,130, this cowhide leather bag was designed by LV’s Men’s Creative Director and famous musician, Pharrell Williams. As per the brand’s official website, the bag comes with a zipped pocket and a double flat pocket inside. The launch of this Sandwich Bag had the Internet divided. While some appreciated how the brand elevated a simple old-school product into a luxury item, others were in disbelief. So, will you buy this for yourself to carry your lunch to work?
Perfume for Dogs by Dolce & Gabbana
In August 2024, Dolce & Gabbana reminded us how much we need to pamper our dogs with this perfume. Enter perfume for dogs, Fefé. The brand named the fragrance after the label’s co-founder Domenico Dolce’s pet. With a starting price of US$ 108, this alcohol-free scented mist features notes of musk, sandalwood, and ylang-ylang. It’s true that our dogs deserve all the love, pampering, and comfort in the world but I am not willing to shell out that amount for my pet, knowing that he’ll surely jump in a puddle soon after. Are you?
While luxury fashion is omnipresent and gradually becoming the new norm, are these products truly “normal”? These launches stirred conversations and sparked debates globally as netizens expect much more poise and luxe from reputed fashion houses. Whether it’s a clever marketing stunt or a genuine embrace of the new and bold, we are all entitled to our judgments.
