How do people define a luxury brand?
If we have different ideas about what is expensive and what isn’t, we may also have different ideas about what is luxurious.
A 17-year-old teen in Singapore received a Charles & Keith bag from her dad.
Zoe Gabriel was so happy; she recorded a video of unboxing her first luxury bag and posted it on her TikTok.
However, her definition of luxury is not luxury to many who have watched her video.
Her video was bombarded by mockery, to which she politely responded with another video explaining why she considers it a luxury, Bored Panda noted.
Both videos went viral and caught the attention of the brand.
Zoe’s Charles & Keith bag cost a little under $100, and many on social media thought that she did not know luxury brand bags cost thousands of dollars.
But what does luxury mean?
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, luxury means “a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort,” “something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary,” and “an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease.”
While the definition said luxury is a “desirable item which is expensive or difficult to obtain,” it does not specify the amount of money you must spend to consider something luxurious.
Zoe felt the urge to defend herself because of the overwhelming number of insults she had received.
“Money is the topic that makes me most uncomfortable to talk about,” she said, stating that her family didn’t have much when she was growing up.
She also said that sometimes her family couldn’t even afford food; they consider bread a luxury.
“Every time we passed by a store, my parents would say ‘next time,’ but the next time would never come,” she continued.
“Your comment spoke volumes on how ignorant you seem because of your wealth. To you, an $80 bag may not be a luxury. For me and my family, it is a lot.”
For many, an $80 bag may not be considered a luxury, but for Zoe and her family, that is a lot.
Zoe was grateful that her dad had saved up his hard-earned money to buy her something.
Moreover, her dad allowed her to choose the $80 Charles & Keith bag, which is way over their family’s budget.
Zoe’s clap-back gained over 2 million views and has received an outpouring of support, which drowned out the criticism.
They believe that haters can’t take away her joy after receiving her gift and agree that what is considered a luxury brand is subjective.
The brand noticed the overwhelming support for Zoe and her father and invited them to their headquarters for lunch and a tour after seeing the video.
“It was so fun; everybody was so nice and accommodating. We had the chance to sit down with Keith and get to know their company a little better,” Zoe wrote in an Instagram post.
“Thanks for visiting! We were happy to have you and your dad at our HQ office – hope you enjoyed the lunch and had a meaningful experience with us,” Charles & Keith commented on her post.
A few days later, Zoe posted another unboxing video, but this time it was a gift from Charles & Keith.
“Hope you enjoyed your time at our HQ campus and meeting our founders – we are all so impressed with the grace in how you handled the situation and displayed values that resonate with us greatly,” said the note at the gift.
The brand said they presented Zoe with a personalized Gabine bag to remind her of the special moment when she inspired many to be compassionate, kind, and confident.
“Our founders believe that our products should spark joy, empower fashion lovers, and give them confidence, something we believe she presented eloquently in her video and for which we are so grateful,” according to the company’s statement to New York Post.
The brand also said that they are pleased by the outpouring of love and encouragement for Zoe, and what the world needs now is a community that shows kindness and compassion, as that is what their brand stands for.
A study said that early-life income inequality affects developmental paths in ways that are linked to bullying later in life, particularly as targets. This study is the first to link childhood inequality and adolescent bullying.
Zoe’s story shows how some fortunate people mock the less fortunate for not being able to afford things like a luxury brand.
Moreover, her story is also successful after her clap-back as more people come to support her, telling her to enjoy the bag as it represents his father’s love more than anything else.
Furthermore, she convinced some people to look at the world through her eyes.
Watch Zoe’s thoughtful response video:
@zohtaco Replying to @cressy ♬ original sound – zoe 🦋
Just remember if you love – you love it! You appreciate it and value is also subjective. Enjoy your bag sweetheart ❤️