The latest collaboration between renowned sports brand Adidas and luxury brand Gucci has brought about the Adidas x Gucci collection. However, the collection includes a “non-waterproof” luxury umbrella that is causing quite a storm among netizens.
The product description said that the umbrella’s design is aimed at bringing back an air of nostalgia to sports apparel, but it is still unavailable for purchase and will be released on 7 June.
The umbrella features a lavish birchwood handle and is emblazoned with Adidas’ trefoil print and Gucci’s signature trim on its handle.
Although it is not available for purchase yet, patrons can enlist themselves in the waiting list to get their hands on the umbrella at ¥11,100 yuan (≈RM7,190).
Despite the excitement, netizens soon noticed something strange in the product description, as it stated “non-waterproof” and is only designed to act as a decorative piece in blocking out sunlight.
As reported by China Press, Gucci also said that the umbrella is meant to be a collectible and fashion piece that helps the consumer “stand out from the crowd”.
“Whether in the city or on a vacation, this piece helps you stand out from the crowd. It is not advised to use it as protection from rain.”
Naturally, this has caused a storm on social media with many saying that they felt that this is a scam.
Meanwhile, the hashtag #notwaterproofcollabumbrellasoldat11000yuan is also circulating on the Chinese social media, where it has gathered more than 130 million views and counting.
Following the online firestorm, Gucci changed the product’s name on its China site from 雨伞 (rain umbrella) to 伞 (umbrella) to refer to its product as a parasol. On its website, Gucci also used the word “sun umbrella” to avoid further confusion.
If you are looking for an umbrella that actually works under the rain, there’s another umbrella under the Adidas x Gucci collection made from nylon, but it is priced at ¥14,3000 yuan (≈RM9,300).
That means customers will have to fork out an extra RM2,200 for an umbrella that will function in the rain.
What do you think about this? Share your thoughts!
