Gucci and Adidas are facing backlash in China for selling an umbrella that doesn’t keep out the rain. At a price point of $1,290 or approximately Rs 1 lakh, people expected the ‘umbrella’ to be waterproof. The brands, however, have made it clear that the umbrella should only be used to protect from the sun or for decorative purposes as it will not keep out water – much to the surprise of potential customers.
The umbrella is being sold as part of a collaboration between Italian high-end luxury fashion house Gucci and sportswear brand Adidas.
On its website, Gucci said: “Part of the Adidas x Gucci collection, this sun umbrella features the Interlocking G and Trefoil print.
“Please note, this item is not waterproof and is meant for sun protection or decorative use.”
The umbrella has sparked hilarity on social media. “Imagine buying a $1600 umbrella as a status symbol, discovering it doesn’t stop rain, then finding out it was never intended to work in the first place,” one Twitter user wrote.Imagine buying a $1600 umbrella as a status symbol, discovering it doesn’t stop rain, then finding out it was never intended to work in the first place
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I’d rather get publicly swindled out of $1600 in a low level ponzi scheme than be seen holding a gucci umbrella https://t.co/HD5uXZf51N
— DavidNwaba (@MiguelWilbon) May 18, 2022
Another called it a collaboration gone wrong.
Adidas & Gucci’s Umbrella Collaboration Gone Wrong
— Bizma Gul (@BismaaGul) May 18, 2022
According to BBC, criticism of the umbrella has gone viral on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
A hashtag, which translates roughly to "the collaboration umbrella being sold for 11,100 yuan is not waterproof," has collected more than 140 million views on Weibo.
A spokesperson for Gucci told Beijing-based magazine Caijing that the sun umbrella was not recommended for everyday use but had good “collector’s value”.
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