Is Balenciaga‘s creative director, Demna Gvasalia, a comic masquerading as a fashion designer?
His latest joke/ tote looks exactly like the one IKEA sells, only in
“blue wrinkled, glazed leather.”
Balenciaga’s Italian-made copy has leather handles and straps, as well as a gold-stamped logo and sells for $2145.
If you’ve ever tried to check out, you know that the ubiquitous FRAKTA holdall costs just 99 cents and if you’re a store fan, you probably have 10.
Everybody’s a comedian, so IKEA got in on the joke and created an ad as a response which read:
How to identify an original Ikea Frakta bag
1) Shake it. If it rustles, it’s the real deal.
2) Multifunctional. It can carry hockey gear, bricks, and even water.
3) Throw it in the dirt. A true Frakta is simply rinsed off with a garden hose when dirty.
4) Fold it. Are you able to fold it to the size of a small purse? If the answer is yes, congratulations.
5) Look inside. The original has an authentic Ikea tag.
6) Price tag. Only $0.99.
An IKEA rep told Today,
“We are deeply flattered that the Balenciaga tote bag resembles the Ikea iconic sustainable blue bag for 99 cents. Nothing beats the versatility of a great big blue bag!”
Life is about choices so you can carry whichever one you want. They will either make you look like a smart cheap-skate or a rich idiot.
(Photos, Barneys, IKEA; via OUT)