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Luxury brand Balenciaga recently attracted attention by unveiling a clutch bag that looks exactly like Lay's potato chips.
The photo shows Lay's potato chips displayed in a foreign supermarket. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The French luxury brand Balenciaga, known for its sensational fashion items, has now released a clutch bag shaped like a 'potato chip.'

Recently, Balenciaga showcased a collaboration product with 'Lay's' potato chips in its 2023 summer collection, which was uploaded on the Balenciaga website and YouTube channel.

Just like the potato chips that come in various flavors, the clutch bags were made in several versions following classic, spicy, and lime flavors. Although made of leather, the bag closely resembles a real potato chip bag at first glance. A zipper was attached at the top part of the bag, corresponding to the opening of the chip bag, and the word 'Balenciaga' was placed below the Lay's logo.

Lay's is a globally famous potato chip brand produced by the American company PepsiCo, and it has been a long-standing item since its launch in 1940. Moreover, it is a representative 'cash cow product' with various localized versions sold worldwide, including in the US, Europe, Egypt, China, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. In South Korea, Lotte Confectionery officially imported Lay's in 2007 and 2014, but it disappeared from the market due to competition with domestic products and is currently available through imports at large supermarkets or direct overseas purchases.

Even seeing models walking the runway holding crumpled potato chip bags with indifferent expressions, the fashion industry is not particularly surprised, saying 'what was bound to happen has happened.'

Balenciaga's creative director Demna Gvasalia is known for presenting fashion items that are so shocking they border on bizarre, earning him the nickname 'the father of ugly fashion.' Last winter, he unveiled a trash bag-shaped bag named 'trash' that looked exactly like a garbage bag, and previously created fashion items that completely shattered the public's illusions about 'luxury,' such as completely destroyed sneakers and bags that look exactly like IKEA shopping bags.

However, despite their cheap appearance, the prices are not low. The trash bag made of 90% calf leather and 10% lamb leather costs 2.28 million KRW, and the potato chip bag, scheduled for release next year, is expected to be priced at $1,800 (approximately 2.6 million KRW). In South Korea, Lay's Classic chips are sold for about 4,600 KRW per bag.