Fashion, like any art form, is subjective and not everyone will understand this "stuff" (cue the cerulean scene from "The Devil Wears Prada"). However, there is a limit to what is cool fashion and what is wasteful luxury. One shopper took to Reddit to criticize an incredibly expensive bag.
The post, shared to r/MildlyInfuriating shows a Louis Vuitton bag in its classic colors but this time with a not-so-useful twist. The bag has three large holes cut into each side of the tote-shaped bag. The bag appears to be available at a small discount of $4,845. The caption accompanying the post reads: "This is luxury fashion? What's the trend here?"
The bag was created in a collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Rei Kawakubo, the founder of Comme des Garcons, a well-known avant-garde fashion line. Originally produced in 2014 with several other "iconoclast" collaborations, according to Tatler Asia, this bag got a rerelease in 2021, according to Hypebeast.
Fashion is art, so sometimes it can have a deeper meaning. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be one of those times.
Bustle wrote about the bag when it was first released, in which Kawakubo explained her design: "Although there are various ways of breaking to create something new, this time I tried to play it straight: I simply made some holes in the fabric of the bag. I generally like small bags."
This explanation seems to say that Kawakubo likes small bags so even though this bag is a large tote, the holes make it functionally much smaller.
There is nothing wrong with wanting luxury items; some brands even have very ethical practices. Stella McCartney is one of the pioneers of "designing ethically," according to Harper's Bazaar. Her company received an overall 4 out of 5 rating on the ethical clothing site Good On You.
However, form over function in fashion can lead to wasteful consumerism.
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, "apparel and footwear production is responsible for anywhere between 4% and 8.6% of global greenhouse gas emissions." Clothing production and consumption have increased over the past several decades as companies have worked to shorten trend cycles and make manufacturing cheaper. The result has been poorly made clothing that lasts a fraction of the time as vintage pieces.
Shopping secondhand and extending the life of your items can help reduce your carbon footprint. It is also one way to find well-made garments and express your personal style. Some shoppers have even found Comme des Garcons clothing at a thrift shop.
Commenters were understandably annoyed by this design. One person wrote: "The bag is a metaphor for how they're robbing you."
Someone else said: "For the woman who has everything, a purse which holds nothing."
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