Luxury label Gucci and sportswear firm Adidas AG have drawn the ire of people in China as they sell an umbrella worth 11,100 yuan ($1,644) which is not waterproof. The brands, however, claim that the product was not designed to protect from rain.
Gucci’s website, which earlier described it as an umbrella, later changed the classification to “sun umbrella” or a parasol, and noted that it’s meant for protection from sun or for decorative use, as per Bloomberg.
The product received criticism on social media. Sharing an image of the umbrella, a Twitter user Cubist wrote, “Warning! Umbrellas are not waterproof!” and tagged the brands. The exorbitant price one needs to pay for an umbrella that doesn’t serve its primary function has irked many.
⚠️warning！🤣⛽️ ☔️Umbrellas are not waterproof！#adidasxGucci @adidasoriginals @gucci #VirtualWorld #REALITY #Blockchain #CryptocurrencyNews #Metaverse #NFTCommunity #NFTcollectibles #NFTartist #nftcollector pic.twitter.com/xmudzHHxrW
“Is this real? 1500+$ for #Umbrella and you can not stop water drops,” commented a user. Another user wrote, “Major side of the globe is living below the poverty line and few people are not only wasting money by showing in such fashion but disrespecting mankind and insulting the poor, RIP humanity.”
Leaky @Gucci and @Adidas ‘sun umbrella’ sparks China outcry: https://t.co/lFAVBWBh3D
I wonder what was going through their designers’ minds…#Cliché #Stereotypes #China #fail pic.twitter.com/78LLMhTsZg
Is this real? 1500+$ for #Umbrella and you can not stop water drops.#Gucci #adidas #crazy #nftcollectors #lunaterra #BTC #irony
Imagine buying a $1600 umbrella as a status symbol, discovering it doesn’t stop rain, then finding out it was never intended to work in the first place
I’d rather get publicly swindled out of $1600 in a low level ponzi scheme than be seen holding a gucci umbrella https://t.co/HD5uXZf51N
RT luxury: Gucci and Adidas are grabbing headlines in China for selling an 11,100 yuan ($1,644) umbrella that doesn’t even stop rain https…
— Shuja Ahmed Ch. (@iShujaAhmedCh) May 18, 2022
163 USD for an umbrella that doesn’t work will generate an outrage no matter where it’s sold.
Found a fix pic.twitter.com/9HZxHiNcXE
That’s why we have two names in french..Ombrelle for the sun from “ombre” shadow and parapluie for the rain from “pluie” rain 😀
If you buy an umbrella for decorative use you deserve all you get..
The umbrella is made in Italy and has drawn inspiration from the 80s and 90s. Mentioning the design, the Gucci website says, “Emblematic House’s motifs mix with those of the historic sportswear brand Adidas resulting in a series of hybrid links.” Regarding the print, the website says, “The Web juxtaposes with the three white stripes, and the GG monogram combines with the trefoil.” It has a carved birch-wood handle and includes eight ribs.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “common prosperity” campaign has triggered a backlash on excess, resulting in increased criticism of luxury brands. Western brands like Adidas have been struggling amid the growing support for local companies and boycotts of other brands, Bloomberg reported.
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