Clunky new RM15,000 ‘clear sticky tape bracelet’ from fashion house Balenciaga mercilessly mocked on China social media
A fashion bracelet launched by the luxury brand Balenciaga is being mercilessly mocked in China, with some people even creating their own versions to poke fun at the chunky offering.

The supposedly vogue item bears more than a passing resemblance to a thick roll of clear sticky tape and has caused much hilarity on mainland social media.

It was featured in the fashion house’s Fall/Winter 2024 collection, which made its debut during Paris Fashion Week, according to Britain’s Independent newspaper.

In a video posted by TikTok influencer @highsnobiety, the product looks like a regular roll of clear tape, marked with Balenciaga’s logo.

Another Instagram influencer @myfacewheno_o said the product is being offered in three sizes. Some said it will be priced at around €3,000 (RM15,383 or US$3,300).

A Douyin observer, who uses the handle @Jizhideliuxiaoben, said he had been enlightened by the design.

He made a tongue-in-cheek video showing his three creations, a tape ring, tape earrings and a tape necklace.

He was not alone.

Another jokingly praised the brand for being so “considerate” as to make a luxury fashion product that costs less than US$1 (RM4.70).

The tape bracelet was worn by a model at the show.

Also, many other looks on show at Paris Fashion Week featured tops and trousers held together with scotch tape.

While Balenciaga has yet to list the accessory on its website at the time of writing, some guessed it would be another icon of the brand’s utilitarian style.

Previously, Balenciaga has sold a leather pouch that looked exactly like a full garbage bag for US$1,790 (RM8,393), and a Kim Kardashian-inspired handbag wrapped in bright yellow and black tape for US$3,100 (RM14,535).

In the latest collection, the brand also used dust bags as tops.

Online observers in China and overseas seized the opportunity to comment on the tastes of rich people.

One person said: “Rich people want to feel poor so bad.”

In 2023, a fashion trend led by young people in China who claimed to be poor but confident, known as the “No Money Style”, went viral.

The style features ragged trousers and brown leather jackets. The latter is known as “Maillard Style”, borrowing from the word for the browning reaction of steak meat.

Several luxury fashion items have stunned mainland Chinese social media before, such as Tiffany’s US$165 (RM773) paper clip, Supreme’s US$30 (RM141) clay brick, and Chanel’s plastic sandals priced at 5,000 yuan (RM3,259), which many said look no different from the sandals they bought for US$2 (RM9) at markets. – South China Morning Post
SCMP,China,Social media
Chunky jewellery piece from Spanish fashion house looks like roll of tape. Online wags in China ridicule creation, make own versions of unwieldy item.