High-end fashion: Bathroom slippers priced at $1196 in Saudi Arabia
What's the story
In an unusual twist in fashion trends, a pair of blue slippers, commonly referred to as "hawai chappals" in India, are being sold for over $1,196 (₹1 lakh) in Saudi Arabia. A video by an X user Rishi Bagree shows slippers in a glass case at a shoe store, garnering over a million views and nearly 13,000 likes. The price tag alongside the footwear reads 4,590 Riyals, equivalent to over ₹1 lakh.
Viral video
Luxury slippers spark humorous reactions online
The video features a salesman donning gloves and presenting the slippers to potential buyers. The salesman is seen demonstrating the cushiony comfort of these slippers. Bagree's video was captioned "We Indians use these sandals as a toilet footwear," sparking humorous reactions online. One user suggested that Indians could buy similar slippers locally for ₹100 and sell them in Saudi Arabia for 4500 Riyal (₹1 lakh), achieving a return on investment of 1,000 times.
Fashion oddities
Ordinary items marketed as luxury products
This is not the first instance of ordinary items being marketed as luxury products. Earlier this year, Louis Vuitton released a Sandwich Bag made of cowhide leather priced at $3,130 (₹280,000). The bag mimics the color of the brand's iconic paper shopping bags and features the Louis Vuitton logo and "Maison Fondee En 1854" lettering. In May, they also launched brush-style boots with fringes all around the main shoe.
Luxury oddities
Balenciaga joins the trend with unusual accessory
Adding to the list of ordinary items turned luxury, Balenciaga released an unusual accessory in March that resembled a roll of scotch tape. The bracelet, complete with the Balenciaga logo and the word "adhesive" written on it, was priced at a staggering $4,400 (₹3.6 lakh approximately). This trend of transforming everyday items into high-end products continues to surprise and amuse consumers worldwide.
Further
Balenciaga's controversial fashion
The list continues with a shopper's bag launched in 2022, worth Rs. 1.5 lakh that reminded users of ordinary plastic bags at home. Balenciaga's limited edition distressed Paris sneakers have also left people puzzled. This collection included 100 pairs of worn-out trainers, priced between $625 and $1,850 (approximately Rs. 48,000 to Rs. 1.42 lakh). Some compared them to old gym shoes, while others joked that they resembled discarded footwear being sold as a limited edition.