Kolhapuri chappals to steel tiffin box: Luxury brands repackaging Indian everyday items as 'Luxe goods'

Whether it’s the familiar white-blue chappals, a grocery store paper bag, or a stainless-steel lunchbox, international brands are turning Indian everyday essentials as luxury products and pricing them outrageously high.

Luxury brands repackaging Indian everyday items as 'Luxe goods'.

Credit: Special Arrangement

Leather flat sandals

Kolhapuri-style chappals made their debut at Milan Fashion Week, with Prada presenting them as "leather flat sandals" priced at Rs 1.2 lakh.

Credit: Instagram/@prada

Paper clip

Part of the luxury range, the silver paper clip from the brand Gucci comes with a whopping price tag of Rs 33,000.

Credit: Special Arrangement

'Towel' Skirt

In 2023, Balenciaga introduced a 'towel' skirt for Rs 76,990, drawing widespread mockery and memes online.

Credit: Special Arrangement

Blue and white slippers

In July 2024, a video from Kuwait went viral showing the common Indian bathroom slippers being sold for Rs 1 lakh (roughly 4,500 Riyals) leaving everyone amused.

Credit: Special Arrangement

A white paper bag

Balenciaga sparked outrage (and memes) by offering a plain white paper bag, calling it a ‘knockoff deal’ in true high-fashion irony. What a normal shop sells for Rs 10, a luxury brand turned into a Rs 1,79,140 fashion statement, rebranding a simple carry bag as a designer tote.

Credit: Special Arrangement

Lunch Box 

Balenciaga came under fire for selling steel lunch box for $790 (approximately ₹68,000). Despite their intentionally simple look, the box sold out quickly.

Credit: Balenciaga