Balenciaga’s new product line seems to be turning heads but transforms an everyday product into luxury.
Their Creative Director, Demna Gvasalia, continues his unconventional, creative path with a Potato Chip Clutch bag, which is made out of leather and merges high-end fashion with a playful twist, showcasing the brand’s creativity and innovation.
The brand is known for its unique and “out there” ideas, which are either very successful or harsh failures.
Priced at $1,750, this statement piece not only pays homage to iconic packaging but also challenges traditional perceptions of luxury. It’s a bold statement that is bound to turn heads and spark conversations among fashion enthusiasts worldwide.
I can taste the salty ocean air from here. Balenciaga should look into putting themed fragrances in these bags to really give them the realistic chip feel.
The last flavor packs in a punch:
For those who need the extra spice to eat… match with their outfits.
While this whopping nearly $2,000 bag doesn’t actually contain chips, the brand says that is to reduce the greasiness factor and allow users to use the bag in a more functional manner. The only downside: no handles or pockets, but that’s a high-class design!
Balenciaga hasn’t promoted this product on their social media, however, many have taken notice through other outlets and gone into a comment frenzy.
One user (@obe_spoke on Instagram) says, “Balenciaga is a social experiment to see just how far us humans will go to impress each other with expensive purchases”
An almost existential thought. How many popular lux brands could be more considered as social experiments rather than producing functional items? Does producing items that induce a social spark, which brings attention to the brand (both positive and negative) end up being more beneficial for the brand itself?
The brand’s marketing technique?
A commenter, @just_mathevi, made a very good point, stating, “I feel like these expensive brands meetings be like ‘who will come up with the dumbest idea and still make crazy profits for the company?'”
Through the many failed campaigns, it seems this may be a method this multi-million dollar company is employing. The great thing about capitalism is people can choose what products they boast their success with, but I don’t see very many spotlight people choosing chips to promote, as they don’t want to be seen as unhealthy in any way.
This announcement comes two years after the brand’s controversial child BDSM campaign, which used children to promote sexual innuendos in fashion. The brand has some dark and controversial ties over the years, most famously with Kanye West. Although the first news about this product idea came out in collaboration with Lays in 2022, it was understandably overshadowed.
This was their first version of this iconic chip idea, which was in collaboration with Frito-Lay. This version has Lay’s logo and was promoted by several celebrities during their Fashion Week press tours. It seems this run Balenciaga has ditched Lays and took their own creative twist on this simple but pricey, product.
Overall, the newer generations seem unkeen to Balenciaga’s outlandish tactics, which don’t seem very practical, even with the zipper feature.
