This morning at 6:30 am the lines started to form for one of this season’s most coveted accessories, a $15 canvas bag.
Designer Anya Hindmarch’s “I am not a plastic bag” quickly sold out in London in a matter of hours months before being released. The bag retailed for 5 pounds in the UK but quickly fetched $400 US on Ebay. Today was the first day of the release for the US addition and by 11:00am the line had amassed over 400 people, and about ten news reporters covering the event. The Soho store was limited to 800 bags and quickly sold out.
Limited to just two bags, almost everyone in line had plans of purchasing both and selling off the extra. Since last checked this afternoon the highest bid on ebay was $200. Although there has been much discussion about the anti plastic bag movement, I did not get the feeling that this crowd was in it for the good of the environment.
San Francisco just banned the use of plastic bags a few months back and Vogue recently spoke about the new “it” accessory of the season being a bag with sustainable style. At the end of the day you decide if it’s Eco Chic, or accessory envy.
Contributed by Amy Daroukakis
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as noted previously on http://www.treehugger.com, etc. there is nothing extraordinary about this bag as an eco or green accessory…is it organic or fair trade? how much was the labor paid to make it? it’s a cute, pop-cultural idea, and for $15 bucks and the potential to capitalize on the spike in ebay interest…uh, ok, but the bigger idea is co-opted in my mind, by greed not green…recycle one of the many cloth bags we all seem to walk away with these days…that is truly “not a plastic bag”, this, on the other hand, is a farcical, fashion moment.
June 21st, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Sorry, Piers.
Just gave your credits, on Update or Die and also in my personal blog (KnoworNever.com)
Cheers ;)
June 21st, 2007 at 3:21 pm
hi,you can buy it on this website:
http://auction1.taobao.com/auction/0/item_detail-0db1-71077e36b570edf8668d321eba00fdd9.jhtml
July 16th, 2007 at 8:40 am
hi,you can buy it on this website:
I’M NOT A PLASTIC BAG*ANYA HINDMARCH
I AM NOT A PLASTIC BAG*ANYA HINDMARCH
http://auction1.taobao.com/auction/0/item_detail-0db1-71077e36b570edf8668d321eba00fdd9.jhtml
July 16th, 2007 at 8:41 am
It doesn’t really matter where it’s made, or what it’s made out of… The point is, people who like this bag will want to use it and that in itself can reduce the consumption of plastic bags.
The goal wasn’t to diminish child labor or cheap labor in China.
If people like this bag and decide to use it as an alternative to plastic shopping bags, then the message and goal is effective.
People who want this bag know its intended purpose and ultimately it’s a personal choice to stop using plastic or not. The bag itself doesn’t make a difference, it’s the attitude people adopt.
The message is boldly imprinted on the bag so it’s promoting awareness and a 2nd look at things.
Like if you bring it to a supermarket where everyone is packing their stuff in plastic, they might think twice next time.
—-BTW, don’t be fooled by the price drop of these bags on ebay, there are tons of fakes out there, over half of them are sold from China now. Beware of the lack of pictures, new sellers with little or no feedback!!!
August 26th, 2007 at 12:37 pm