Viral Yellow Plastic Bag Is Not Balenciaga's 'Trash Bag'. Here's What It Really Is

Chinese actress Zhang Jingyi recently became an internet sensation after her pictures from the 2025 Beijing International Film Festival resurfaced on social media. In the viral photos, she can be seen with a humble yellow plastic bag, sparking widespread debate and memes online.

The internet had mixed reactions to the bag, with some joking about the bag's resemblance to everyday grocery bags, while others saw it as a bold fashion statement.

The bag was even mistaken for a luxury item, with some comparing it to Balenciaga's "Trash Bag" pouch priced at $1,790.

But it wasn't true.

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See the bag here:

#ZhangJingyi: Hello everyone, i'm Zhang Jingyi. In #TheOne (#独一无二), i act as the daughter, Yu Yan ☺️

*host asked about the plastic bag*

👸🏻: this plastic bag… it's a secret in the movie! this secret will only be known if you go to the cinema to see it ~ 🤭 pic.twitter.com/MhoQ3prM1r

— all for 仪 🩷 (@19990710z) April 18, 2025

Zhang revealed that the plastic bag was actually a prop from her movie The One, symbolising her character's unique communication with her hearing-impaired parents, CNA reported.

The bag became a trending topic, with online users praising her unconventional fashion choice and others questioning the value of luxury fashion.

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Social Media Reaction

The images were posted on many social media platforms, with almost all believing that it was a luxury bag. In one of the posts on Reddit, one user wrote, "Fashion has been selling expensive versions of cheap things for decades."

"There are many strategies for money-making. One of them is exploiting stupidity. This is one of the examples," wrote another.

"If it were made of some super lightweight but durable fabric, then it's a pretty cool under-the-radar concept bag. Just tooooooooo expensive," wrote the third.

The incident highlights the power of social media in turning ordinary moments into global conversations.