There aren’t many escapes from the grim onslaught of terrible news these days. You can stare at a blank wall, obsessively count the hairs on your arm, or, in a true moment of desperation, ponder the state of global fashion. I prefer the last one. I love being on the cutting edge of style, peacocking out in the decaying slopfest that is our planet. A crisp, well-made suit is a cure for all manner of emotionally trying times. I relish being hyper-aware of the goings-on of fashion, so I was one of the first sorry souls to learn of the current global obsession with flimsy canvas Trader Joe’s shopping bags.
For those unaware, Trader Joe’s is an American grocery store chain known primarily for its affordable prices, whimsical tropical branding, and heart-attack-inducing parking lots – apparently designed to be small because the stores themselves are so tiny that they can’t justify more spaces. I don’t naturally see the use in swanning about with a tote bag promoting a demolition derby disguised as a market, but I’m not most people.
All across the world, eager consumers are seeing price tags of up to $50,000 for a bag I can buy today for $3 that I will then shove into the remaining empty space in my closet and completely forget about every time I go shopping. Such is the fate of most tote bags. It’s a lonely existence, filled with neglect rather than groceries. So, why all the fuss over something so trivial? How did a store for budget-conscious Americans become a status symbol everywhere else?