French-Spanish luxury fashion brand Balenciaga released a bracelet that looks exactly like a roll of clear plastic tape and costs $4,400.
The controversial piece of jewelry has sparked confusion and outrage across the internet and sent TikTokers to viral fame over their commentaries.
@shabazsays Would you buy this Balenciaga tape bracelet? No.. why becuse you're a.. 😂 #balenciaga #fashion #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt #parisfashionweek #comedy #braclet #balenciagatape ♬ original sound - Shabaz Says
TikToker Shabaz Says (@shabazsays) posted a video about the bracelet and asks viewers, "Would you buy this Balenciaga tape bracelet?"
Shabaz jokes sarcastically, "But it has a reason, meaning, purpose, innovation. Balenciaga would like you to create your own styling: two garments taped together in the style you want."
However, his video offers more than comedic value. It makes viewers think twice about what really constitutes fashion and how we support the fashion industry.
Balenciaga, in particular, has been criticized in the past for a variety of issues. Short-lived fashion trends often end up in landfills after just a few uses and contribute to the tremendous amount of clothing waste on our planet.
Meanwhile, producing intentionally flimsy garments reduces the life span of clothing and creates the demand for more clothing to be made. Overconsumption is a real problem among consumers today and contributes to wasted financial resources and a significant percentage of our world's air pollution.
A better alternative is to buy secondhand clothing and shop at thrift stores, which often carry designer brands at a fraction of the cost and breathe new life into pre-loved items.
For new clothing and accessories, support eco-friendly brands committed to sustainability and with labels that show Fairtrade, GOTS, and FSC certifications.
One TikToker commented on the video about the $4,400 tape bracelet: "No way!?! Can't be real!!"
"Is this a joke?" another asked.
"Balenciaga has to be a social experiment," commented another TikTok user.
Someone else suggested, "There's one team creating the nonsense and another team writing papers about the reactions."
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