Luxury Paper Shopping Bags Are In Demand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The paper shopping bags of high-end fashion labels have become on-trend items for everything from ferrying lunches to appearing in TikTok backgrounds.

 

To the uninitiated, it may seem like lovers of high fashion are getting up earlier these days. But the plethora of designer paper bags seen on the bus in the mornings often do not contain purchases from Chanel or Prada – but commuters’ packed lunches.The trend brings a whole new meaning to the term “designer bag”, with even Birkin-loving Kim Kardashian seen clutching one at Balenciaga’s show in Los Angeles this month. 

 

On resale sites such as eBay, empty paper carrier bags from luxury brands such as Chanel and Balmain can sell for as much as £65. Prices for a paper Hermes bag start at £45, while the box begins at £200. A Smythson bag with matching tissue paper tends to go for £40, while a set including eight different brands – spanning Gucci, Burberry and La Mer – starts from £114. 

 

Kardashian’s particular bag was later revealed to be a collaboration between Balenciaga and Erewhon – an expensive organic grocery store in the US that has become a mecca for health freaks. It has become the most high-profile example of the unlikely movement for carrier bags that is sweeping high-fashion, as well as the secondhand market.

 

Even an advertising campaign for the luxury brand Bottega Veneta showed the American rapper – and Rihanna’s husband – ASAP Rocky carrying an ersatz brown paper supermarket bag, which he filled with chard and orange chrysanthemums. Dubbed the “Medium Brown Bag”, it is made from suede-lined calfskin – and retails for £1,800. 

 

It riffs on the department store chain Bloomingdale’s, which first launched its paper “Little Brown Bag” in 1973. Instantly recognisable, it became a signifier of an aspirational American lifestyle. A PVC version followed in 1995.

 

There are many reasons for consumers buying into the trend via resold £10 paper Chanel bags on resale sites. Some buy them to display in their homes, the Gen Z equivalent of fine-bone china. Others use them to create an illusion of wealth – either in public or on social media. Instagram and Tiktok is awash with influencers carefully placing them in the background or being incorporated into footage of shopping hauls and “unboxing” videos – in which users dramatically undo ribbons and peel back tissue paper to reveal their latest purchase. 

 

Some people buy real designer carrier bags in which they give fake designer bags as gifts. Others may have bought a real designer item on a secondhand site and want the corresponding carrier bag to match. There are even TikTok hacks for turning a designer paper bag into a more durable bag by wrapping it in plastic.

 

In 2021, a study found that a group of 17 black-and-white paper Chanel carrier bags sold for £265. December is one of the busiest months, with Tiffany’s signature blue bags and Jo Malone boxes in particularly high demand. 

 

Isabelle Szmigin, a professor of marketing at the University of Birmingham, says carrier bags are tied up with identity. “They have value and substance because it implies that you have some connection with that brand and that means credibility, especially on social media”, she added. 

 

One eBay user, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a VIP customer at Harrods and started selling her old paper bags as a side hustle during lockdown. She says as a VIP she regularly receives purchases in limited edition carrier bags that differ from those given to general customers, making them particularly desirable. 

 

Another user, Helen Pacey recently sold an empty Christian Dior paper bag and matching gift box that had originally housed one of the brand’s perfumes for £85. She said: “Demand for these type of paper bags really took off when the plastic bag levy was introduced. People now see them as a luxury. Many are embossed and tied with a ribbon. It makes you feel more special”.

The Comically Oversized Footwear Trend

Paris, the fashion capital, hosted another feverish fashion week from September 25 to October 03, featuring a lineup of 108 fashion houses, 68 fashion shows, and 41 presentations. 

 

One of the most anticipated participants was the Italian fashion house, Marni, which unveiled an exciting shoe design for the runway, the Big Foot 2.0 (left). This model is an amplified, humorous rendition of a previous platform sneaker model from 2018, resonating with the trend of comically oversized footwear.

 

The Big Foot 2.0 resonates with the art collective MSCHF’s Big Red Boots (below pic), which became a viral sensation after their presentation in the spring. Despite their eccentric design, these unisex boots quickly found their way onto the feet of many, including popular artists like Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, Iggy Azalea, and Janelle Monae.

 

 

 

Seeming to have leapt straight from the pages of the 1990s Japanese manga series Astro Boy (right), the giant, pillarbox-red boots, rendered in TPU and EVA foam, are simultaneously nostalgic, futuristic, and utterly absurd; as MSCHF declared in their press release, "If you kick someone in these boots, they go boing!" 

 

Interestingly, the boots’ unintentional suction issues – see the viral TikTok video in which one wearer gets stuck in their BRBs (Big Red Boots) – the unisex boots seemed to augment the phenomenon’s reach, adding to their distinctive charm. 

 

MSCHF, a New York-based art collective renowned for pushing the boundaries of art, design, and luxury commerce, also collaborated with Crocs in August. This collaboration resulted in the Big Yellow Boots, a sunflower-yellow reinterpretation of the Big Red Boots, complete with the signature Crocs holes and heel strap.

 

The spring/summer 2023 collections are demonstrating a more refined take on the cartoon-channelling shoe, from Prada's proudly puffy nappa loafers (right) to Loewe's comic lacquered foam pumps (seemingly inspired by Minnie Mouse's oversized, slip-on high heels) to Proenza Schouler's pillowy Arc platform mules. And, across mens' and womenswear alike, the craze, it seems, is not showing signs of slowing down. 

 

So, what does this newfound interest in clompy, cartoonesque footwear signify? "In one sense, it communicates a desire for non-conformity and personal expression, which aligns with contemporary values of individuality and self-confidence", Dr Carolyn Mair (left), a cognitive psychologist and fashion business consultant, and the author of "The Psychology of Fashion", explains. "And at the same time, it subverts more traditional ideals of beauty in preference for novel, unconventional aesthetics".

 

Cultural historian Annebella Pollen (right) agrees. "They remind me somewhat of the shoes designed by second-wave feminists in the 1970s and 1980s. They viewed the trend for stiletto heels and pointy toes as a way of keeping women in their place, so they produced their own handmade, foot-shaped styles that drew on men's workwear boots, and were very much anti-fashion".

 

The cartoon shoe, methinks, is all about standing out. 

 

As Mair shares: "Our vision has evolved to allow us to automatically process, without attention, objects which are typical or representative of their category, so we can use our limited cognitive resources to pay attention to unusual objects that [in an evolutionary sense] might be a threat. The attention-grabbing aesthetics of today's oversized shoes may not appeal to everyone, but they will certainly get you noticed and, as such, are likely to project an adventurous and fun image".

The Return of High Heels

High heels are making a comeback! And fashionistas are delighted! 

 

Supplanted by slippers at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, then by sneakers, boots and ballet flats in the post-Covid world, high heels in many shapes and forms are (finally) finding their way back on women’s feet. 

 

Of course, for those who have embraced flats and enjoyed wearing them so much that they can’t imagine giving them up – that is bad news. Because wearing high-heeled shoes is an art that must be perfectly mastered, and it is not without its hazards – or aches and pains. It requires a certain dexterity – and force of habit – that many women may have lost since the onset of the pandemic. 

 

From February and March, during the fall-winter 2022 Fashion Weeks, the first signs of a high-heel return were starting to be seen. 

 

With boots and ankle boots, thigh boots and pumps, high heels made many appearances on the catwalks of New York, London, Milan and Paris. Off-White, Giambattista Valli, Fendi and Prada are some of the major fashion houses that have helped heels take off this winter. 

 

The trend should gain much more momentum from spring 2023, with a host of designs featuring these towering heels. This was spotted on the catwalks of Rokh, Akris, Vivienne Westwood, Bottega Veneta and Loewe. 

 

However, while some brands have opted for a radical return with stilettos, most have preferred more ‘comfortable’ models to ease wearers into the trend without going too high too soon.

 

In Malaysia, Perikatan Nasional’s Azman Nasrudin has claimed the Padang Serai parliamentary seat in Kedah after a 16,260-vote majority win against Pakatan Harapan’s Sofee Razak who could only secure 35,377 votes. BN’s C Sivaraj obtained 2,983 votes despite giving way to PH for the seat. 

 

Azman’s victory means PN now hold 14 of the 15 parliamentary seats in Kedah. 

 

And Barisan Nasional’s Johari Hussain has won the Tioman state seat in Pahang with a slim majority of 573 votes. PH had made way for BN in the election.

Prada’s “Pop-up Wet Market”

I don't know about you but I find it absurd that a wet market covering 2000 m² in Shanghai, China could go viral on social media just because they had bagged their produce in Prada packaging. 

Global Times reported that Wuzhong market in Xuhui district saw hordes of influencers visiting to take photos, livestreaming and posing with produce.

Products sold at the market were wrapped in paper printed with the brand name. And every day from 10:00 to 16:00, a limited supply of bags with three different autumn/winter patterns and sporting the Prada logo were provided free of charge to shoppers. If they purchased more than 20 yuan (RM12.93) worth of items, that is. 

Some Chinese netizens joke that, for the first time, Prada is affordable for them, thanks to these paper bags. 

The “Feels Like Prada” campaign which ended on Sunday, was part of the Italian fashion luxury brand’s crossover campaign. 

During the campaign, which began last month, it was not vegetables that customers were actually looking for – it was the packaging and bags with the brand’s logo. 

The campaign had brought brisk business to the market and attracted throngs of visitors. One vegetable seller, however, was not thrilled about it, saying “Sales haven’t grown much. Most people come for pictures but few people actually buy anything”. 

And the complainant added: “They also love to throw the vegetables away”. 

The popularity of the market during the said campaign is understandable, given that Prada is one of the highly sought-after luxury brands in the country. Sales of Prada in China grew an impressive 77 percent this year, according to the financial results of the group ending June 30. 

This campaign was not confined to Shanghai. Prada had unveiled a host of activations in Milan, Florence, Rome, Paris, London, New York, and Tokyo to amplify the message of its fall 2021 campaign.

Fashion Brands Give a Helping Hand

It’s nice to know that big-name fashion brands have stepped forward to give a helping hand in the fight to contain Covid-19. 

Prada, Gucci, COS, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent are among the many labels which produced face masks. 

Additionally, luxury group Kering purchased and imported masks to supply the French health service. 

Likewise, LVMH brought in surgical masks and FFP2 disposable particulate respirators from China to be distributed to medical workers. They even converted their factories, which usually manufacture perfumes under labels such as Givenchy and Guerlain, to the production of hand sanitizer. 

Moncler gave €10 million (£9.2 million) towards the construction of a 200-25-bed hospital in Milan, Italy. 

Mayhoola, the parent company of Valentino and Balmain, chipped in $2 million to the coronavirus effort. 

Giorgio Armani contributed $1.4 million to four of Italy’s busiest hospitals. 

Donatella Versace doled out more than $200,000 to the intensive care unit of Milan’s San Raffaele hospital. 

And Giorgio Armani donated $1.4 million to four of Italy’s busiest hospitals. 

I thought these are really wonderful gestures. 

As a way of saying thanks to these iconic fashion brands, I would like to share this clever commercial parody for a brilliant, but (hopefully) fictional one-of-a-kind luxury item, the Prada Body Bag:

Fashion that’s to die for! Definitely, the most elegant way to make a final impression! 

FYI, this video is by The Kloons, a threesome comprising Mitch Lewis, Greg Washburn and Nik Kazura, who creates comedy sketches for YouTube.

Blackface Backlash

Luxury fashion brand Gucci has withdrawn a woollen jumper from sale after the item was criticized for "resembling blackface".

The black "balaclava jumper" covered the lower half of the face and featured a red cut-out around the mouth. 

The item quickly prompted a backlash on social media by users who alleged the design was offensive. 

In a statement, Gucci apologized for any offence caused and said it would be removed from sale. 

The brand said it would turn the incident "into a powerful learning moment for the Gucci team" and was committed to increasing diversity. 

That is the common refrain for brands which have become entrapped by their own self-inflicted foolishness. 

Blackface has a history of perpetuating offensive and racist stereotypes of African Americans dating back more than 200 years in the United States. On social media, many had criticized the design for invoking such stereotypes. 

Gucci's troubles mark the latest in a string of missteps by luxury fashion brands. 

Last month, Prada withdrew items over concerns it had depicted blackface imagery. 

The label pulled products from a line of goods called Pradamalia which appeared to resemble black monkeys with large red lips. 

In 2016, Dolce & Gabbana caused controversy when they called an item of footwear in their spring/summer collection a "slave sandal".

Accusations of racism via Twitter were lobbed at Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana – that the duo were glorifying slavery.

When I consider the above, it makes me wonder that just maybe, there are brands that are intentionally using race to capture people's attention. 

Paul MacKenzie-Cummins, managing director of Clearly PR Marketing and Communications has this to say: "It's an ultra-competitive market and the retail space has never been as competitive as what it is now. They need to do something to get their voices seen and heard".

Whether this is true or not, the fact of the matter is that we should be sensitive to things regarded as demeaning and dehumanizing to others. 

Sneakers that Marry Fashion with Sports

A model presents a creation from the Dolce & Gabbana Autumn/Winter 2018 women collection during Milan Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, February 25, 2018

Luxury fashion and sports are coming together. And it looks as if they have become inseparable. 

Strange bedfellows alright but it is the in-thing now. And yielding big profits for those involved in the business. Already, both luxury groups and sports companies are looking to cash in on a booming market. 

Premium sneakers can start at around $400 but can easily go up as high as $3,000 for a pair of Christian Louboutin’s leather, crystal-embellished sneakers. 

And limited editions can even sell for well over $10,000, including the Chanel X Pharrell Hu Race Trail or Nike’s Air Jordan 3 Retro DJ Khaled Grateful. 

High-end brands such as Gucci, Prada and Balenciaga are increasingly looking to sneakers for growth, putting them in direct competition with sportswear giants like Nike, Puma and Adidas – and creating ever-more striking and swank designs. 

A Reuters report put global sales of sneakers – or trainers – to have expanded by 10 percent to 3.5 billion euros in 2017. 

For sure, sneakers are a big driver of the luxury shoe business – in fact, luxury sneakers represent the fashion industry’s fastest-growing segment. 

Bruce Pas, Men’s Fashion Director at US department store Neiman Marcus – a leading purveyor of the world's most unique luxury goods – trumpets: “It’s not really even a trend anymore – it’s become a category”. 

The rise of luxury sneakers is part of the growing influence of casual and streetwear in high-end fashion, where it is now acceptable to team sneakers with a tailored suit. 

Upmarket brands are tapping into street style to refresh their looks and young buyers are driving the shift. “Millennials” – born between the early 1980s and mid-90s – already represent a third of the luxury market, according to consultancy Bain & Co. 

It has been noted that even with intensifying competition, profits will remain very healthy. 

“There is (a) large space for prices moving up”, said Erwan Rambourg from HSBC. It seems that the ‘luxurization’ of sneakers can only impact margins positively. 

Designer footwear or luxury sneakers or couture sneakers or whatever we may wish to call them – they are a fast-growing market segment. 

Even for sportswear companies, like Adidas, fashion collaborations are not unusual. 

In fact, Adidas recognize that it is a way of expanding their company’s creative ecosystem and keeping consumers engaged and excited by the Adidas brand in a fast-moving market. “These days the pace has become so fast. People go to verticals, like H&M and Zara, and expect new products every month. Even with high fashion labels, it’s the cruise collection and pre-collections; every three months you get something new”, said Dirk Schönberger, creative director of Adidas’ sport style division. 

“We are a very commercial brand, so, of course, we have to deliver – at a minimum every week – something that excites the consumer. The verticals and the [speed of the] Internet have changed the way we do things”, he added. 

When a market opportunity presents itself, you can be sure marketing-driven companies will be in the thick of the action. It’s business, after all!