Let’s be honest — who isn’t a fan of Ikea’s $1 blue plastic bags? They can carry just about anything without breaking, are easy to keep clean and can be folded flat to store away when not in use.
It, therefore, came as no surprise when luxury French fashion house Balenciaga debuted its new Arena Extra-Large Shopper Tote Bag earlier this month, priced at a reasonable $2610.
This week, Ikea brilliantly responded to the lookalike bag with a clever ad explaining to customers how to identify an original.
The fine print reads:
How to identify an original IKEA FRAKTA bag
1) Shake it. If it rustles, it’s the real deal.
2) Multifunctional. It can carry hocky 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) The price tag. Only $0.99
The hefty price tag of the Balenciaga bag can be attributed to its lambskin leather and double printed calfskin handles, which are a stark contrast to Frakta’s simple recyclable plastic.
“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!” a spokesperson for Ikea previously told Today.
Source: Huffington Post
