Just when we thought we'd seen it all, a Japanese brand has swooped in to remind us that even our most ordinary household items aren't safe from the claws of high fashion.
In their newest launch, Japanese brand Puebco decided to tap into the desi nostalgia vault and picked random household items many of us grew up seeing... except now, they've slapped fancy names and ridiculous price tags on them.
The recyclable bag priced at Rs 2,000-3,000. Photo: Puebco
The lineup includes the iconic multi-coloured bazaar ka thaila, which they've rebranded as a Recycled Plastic Stripe Bag, and a humble coffee or chai filter, now dubbed a Beverage Dispenser.
Even though the brand's website insists the intention was to sell "souvenirs from India", desi netizens weren't having it. The problem? The absurd pricing, and the cultural appropriation.
The beverage dispenser priced at Rs 22,700. Photo: Puebco
That plastic striped bag? Now going for Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000. You know, the same one you probably got free with a bedsheet purchase once. And the 'beverage dispenser'? Rs 22,700.
It's like the Scandinavian scarf scandal all over again.
Sigh.
The Viral Brand
Things escalated when Diet Sabya, an anonymous fashion handle on Instagram, posted about Puebco, asking followers whether the drop was offensive or just "pure genius". Spoiler: most people leaned heavily toward the former.
One user wrote, "This makes me wonder if poverty in India is exotic to them."
Another added, "Bro, being from UP, I've seen those 'Bora' bags carried by farmers, hawkers, and pretty much everyone in my village for yearssss! And now it's a fashion statement?"
To make things worse, Western influencers began hyping up the brand as "aesthetic" and "cool".
Not The First Time
Unfortunately, this isn't new.
Zara once caught heat for selling a checked mini skirt that looked suspiciously like a lungi-the traditional South Asian garment worn by men. Except they didn't call it a lungi, gave it no cultural credit, and priced it like a luxury item.
So yes, Puebco's not the first to dig through desi daily life for "inspo" with a bold price tag.
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