Balenciaga hits the nostalgia spot with this $2950 Hello Kitty bag
Balenciaga’s iconic Ville bag adorned with Hello Kitty’s face was donned by male models last year at Paris Fashion Week, and is finally up for sale. Read on.
Hello Kitty, is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio, created by Yuko Shimizu in 1974, and currently designed by Yuko Yamaguchi. Sanrio depicts Hello Kitty as a female gijinka of Japanese Bobtail with a red bow and, notably, no mouth. She initially featured only on coin purses but grew to become a popular icon, with merchandise ranging from colouring books, soft-toys, skateboard decks, stickers, air purifiers, as well as a TV show. Hello Kitty is the perfect example for nostalgia and yearning for lost sense of security that comes with most of the popular culture of the ‘90s. Brands are aiming to target this nostalgia and serve as a unique style statement with collaborations for shoes, makeup, plush toys, clothing, bags and charging quite a lot for it.
Last year the Paris Fashion Week saw incredible designs but Balenciaga made an impact with its SS20 collection. The first show since Demna Gvasalia announced his departure from Vetements and took over, had models walking on a spiralling runway in an entirely EU-blue space and was accompanied by an eerie, foreboding music track, harsh lighting, and cold air blasting throughout the room. Inspired by workplace wear, the collection featured heavy wool overcoats, subversive takes on the pussy-bow blouse, with Balenciaga signature tailoring – all wide-shoulders and typically challenging cuts, and Hello Kitty handbags.
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The brand’s iconic Ville bag was donned by male models, adorned with the cartoon cat’s face in bubblegum pink, black and white shades. Hello Kitty’s whiskers had been replaced with Balenciaga’s iconic Triple S sneaker laces on the side, and her iconic red bow had been stitched onto each of the colourways. The bags also featured a black satin-like material embellished, in white cursive font, with the luxury fashion house’s logo on top of the bag.
This celebrated bag is finally up for pre-order on January 10 in China and for sale worldwide from January 28, and will cost over $2,590 (1,83,384 rupees). In addition to the tote bag, the Hello Kitty collaboration will also include a phone holder, XXS Tote, XS Camera Bag, as well as Top Handle bags in XXS, small and medium sizes – all arriving in white, pink or black sporting a red leather bow.
If your wallet can afford it and you are a Hello Kitty fanatic, strut this handbag at your office for a few eye-brow raises and a fun quotient.
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