If I am ever on my way to go out and I say, “Hold on, let me get my bag,” I’m usually referring to a bag of Lay’s Original Potato Chips and not my purse. But thanks to a new development in the fashion world, I could now be referring to both. A designer from Balenciaga has gone viral on TikTok for carrying an empty Lay’s potato chip bag as a purse. Yes, I’m talking about an actual empty Lay’s potato chip bag, but make it “fashion.”
This is not the first time Balenciaga has attempted (and succeeded) at turning “trash” into fashion. In the past, they’ve rebranded a soiled shoe, a bin bag, and Crocs as high-end “luxury” items most of us could never afford. In keeping with this trend, Demna Gvasalia, Balenciaga’s current creative director, recently appeared at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts’ graduate fashion show in Antwerp toting an empty bag of Lay’s “under his arm as if it were a gorgeous clutch.” You know what they say, one man’s empty chip bag is another man’s high fashion clutch! Do they say that? I guess they will now.
This reminds me of that eerily prescient scene from Zoolander when they introduce a fashion line called “Derelicte” consisting of pieces of trash and old dirty clothes. Twenty years later, this 2000’s satire is edging closer and closer to reality. What’s next, hats made out of discarded Baskin Robbins ice cream cups? Actually, I’ll be honest, I would wear that. It would perfectly complement my Lay’s chip bag and Funyun bangle. Now, who wants to book me on their runway?