Look familiar?
Balenciaga has launched its latest tote, and if you feel like you’ve seen it before, that’s because you probably own it already. Sort of.
The Arena extra large shopper tote bag, with its large handles and bright blue hue, bares more than a littler resemblance to the Ikea Frakta hold-all we all own.
But while the Swedish giant’s carrier is made of plastic and costs just 40p, the Balenciaga version is a little more premium, made of fine leather from Italy.
It will also set you back a bit more, with a price tag of about £1,672 at Barneys New York.
We’ve got to hand it to the French luxury fashion house, while it’s usually the high street taking inspiration from the catwalk, they’ve managed to turn the whole thing round by taking inspiration from every day items.
Ikea meanwhile, adopts the imitation is the sincerest form of flattery school of thought. Its sales leader Stella Monteiro told Today, ‘We are extremely flattered to seemingly be an inspiration for the latest catwalk designs for Balenciaga.
‘Our Ikea Frakta tote is one of our most iconic products which are already owned and loved by millions - now many people truly can get the designer look for less.’
But while the Ikea tote is very handy for carrying around that flat packed side table, there’s no denying that the Balenciaga Arena is one stylish, which seems just the perfect size for a weekend getaway.
