$2,300 “useless” umbrella sparks outrage
An umbrella created by two of the biggest names in fashion has gone viral online - but not for the reason you might expect.
Chinese customers were surprised to discover that an upcoming collaboration between Adidas and Gucci includes an umbrella that isn’t designed to be waterproof despite costing 11,100 yuan ($AU 2314 or $NZ 2539).
According to the Gucci website, the parasol does come with a disclaimer that reads: “This item is not waterproof and is meant for sun protection or decorative use”.
As a result, the item has gone viral on Chinese social media platform Weibo, with a hashtag that translates to “the collaboration umbrella being sold for 11,100 yuan is not waterproof” being viewed 140 million times according to Bloomberg.
The BBC has also reported that people have responded with outrage, with one person calling it “a very big but useless fashion statement”.
“As long as I’m poor, they won’t be able to trick me into paying for this,” another person said.
⚠️warning！🤣⛽️
☔️Umbrellas are not waterproof！#adidasxGucci @adidasoriginals @gucci #VirtualWorld #REALITY #Blockchain #CryptocurrencyNews #Metaverse #NFTCommunity #NFTcollectibles #NFTartist #nftcollector pic.twitter.com/xmudzHHxrW
— cubist👽🐼🧛♂️🧟♂️🧚♀️🤖 (@cubist_pg) May 13, 2022
Others noted that the product may still be appealing to those who would use it as a fashion statement or to “show what they are worth”.
“Those who are willing to pay to use luxury goods to show what they are worth,” one user wrote. “They don’t care about practicality.”
A Gucci spokesperson told Beijing-based magazine Caijing that the umbrella was “not recommended for use as an everyday umbrella”, adding that it had “good collector’s value and is suitable for use as a daily accessory”.
I do relate to that umbrella. I am pricey and useless. #adidasxGucci #umbrella
— Nishit Rangwala (@nishit_rangwala) May 19, 2022
The item has been promoted online ahead of its release on June 7, as part of the two brands’ new shared collection.
Image: Gucci