Balenciaga Is Selling a $2,145 Leather Version of the Ikea Tote
By Karen Brill. Photos: Courtesy of Brand.
Ikea's signature blue tote has always been one of the best parts of the store's shopping experience, second, perhaps, only to the frozen yogurt and Swedish meatballs. At just 99 cents, it's extremely durable, and it has a Mary Poppins baglike depth that's room enough for all of one's earthly belongings, plus or minus an Ikea inventory. All those perks, and there's no physics-defying, head-scratching assembly required? A true steal.
It seems Balenciaga gets all that, as the fashion label has come out with a new tote of its own, and it should look super-familiar to any purveyors of affordable Swedish housewares. Called the "Arena Extra-Large Shopper Tote Bag," Balenciaga's offering shares key similarities with Ikea's "Frakta" bag. The two share the same bright, royal blue color, same trapezoidal shape, same wide straps, and same massive size. One massive difference, though: Balenciaga's retails for $2,145 since it's not made from recyclable polypropylene but rather "blue wrinkled, glazed leather." There's also a slight stylistic differentiation, as Balenciaga's bag trades Ikea's large yellow branding over the straps for a small, gold label.
Ever the environmentally sustainable company, Ikea is cool with its tote concept being reused, telling 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!" Balenciaga, however, has yet to comment on the similarities.
This story originally appeared on Glamour.
More from Glamour:
So This Is Why Kate Middleton Always Carries a Clutch
17 Bad Household Habits to Quit in 2017
Kate Middleton's Best Beauty Looks
The Most Popular Beauty Products on the Internet
Here's What It's Like to Work With 8 Award-Winning Women Directors
