In China, luxury label Gucci and sportswear company Adidas AG are making headlines for selling an umbrella that doesn’t even stop rain for 11,100 yuan ($1,644). Never mind that the brands claim it wasn’t designed for that.
On Weibo, a hashtag stating that “the collaboration umbrella being sold for 11,100 yuan is not waterproof” received over 140 million views.
The emphasis of the article is on the fact that the parasol does not block rain and should instead be used for sun protection and fashion. Originally classified as an umbrella, the product was renamed in Mandarin to a more ambiguous term.
Adidas and Gucci representatives could not be reached for comment right away.
Luxury brands are being scrutinised more closely in China as a result of President Xi Jinping’s “common prosperity” campaign, which sent related stocks plunging last year. In general, Western brands such as Adidas have struggled in the face of rising nationalism, which has resulted in boycotts and preferential treatment for local firms.
Nike and Adidas have been dethroned in China due to nationalism.
Laotan Dianshang, a Weibo user, quoted Xi’s equality slogan, claiming that such products were not meant for “the common folk.”
With its expanding middle class, China is still a market that few international companies can afford to ignore.
