Luxury designer puts pricey tag on iconic blue bag
It’s not unusual for fast fashion haunts to knock off designer confections. We’ve seen it before and we’ve heard tales of designers such as Anna Sui suing retailers like Forever 21 and H&M creating fashions resembling runway looks. But it is quite unusual to see it work the other way around, until now.
Twitter was in an uproar after spotting the Balenciaga ‘Arena’ Extra-Large Shopper, which costs $2,145. It looks eerily similar to the Ikea blue bag that retails for just 99 cents. From its cool mediterranean blue hue to its wide, low rise shape and floppy handles, these two bags are seriously twinning, and not in a good way.
The social media memes say it all–my favorite is “Who wore it better?” But Ikea’s response is everything! They released a mock ad featuring their iconic Frakta bag and tips on distinguishing the real thing from a fake with descriptions such as “Shake it. If it rustles, it’s the real deal.” and “Throw it in the dirt. A true Frakta is simply rinsed off with a garden hose when dirty.” Looks like Balenciaga’s bag is busted!