Louis Vuitton’s $8K puppet sweater has people all up in arms
OK, it’s great that knitting has provided some much needed amusement — and income — during COVID-19 lockdown, but Louis Vuitton has simply gone too far.
The luxury fashion brand is getting dragged on social media over the debut of their most recent collection, featuring a navy blue sweater that has been adorned with several vibrant knitted animal puppets — and an eye-popping price tag of about $8,100, reportedly.
The clownish jumper is among a number of other cartoonish pieces, including a $6,100 “puppet baseball” jacket and a $7,450 hoodie. The now-notorious sweater currently appears on LouisVuitton.com’s Hong Kong store for HK $63,500 (about $8,200 USD) — though it’s unfortunately out-of-stock there. It’s also available through the brand’s EU site, though only to those who “call for inquiry,” as the piece is “exclusively made-to-order” for such customers.
The 100% wool knitwear boasts a colorful crochet menagerie, including a panda bear, flamingo, scorpion, mouse, frog, monkey, as well as a few mythical creatures of unknown origins. In total, some 14 puppets dangle from the sweater — piled primarily on the front except for one wayward ape, which hangs from the back shoulder.
The dolls have been compared to children’s toys — and a far cry from couture.
Fashion critics on social media have claimed they could make the same sweater for a fraction of the cost.
“How hard can attaching your old stuffies to your sweater be?” tweeted @TikyYati in response to Vogue Paris, who recently shared the look on social media.
Suggesting isolation-induced madness, @DragonQueen8 concluded, “The pandemic did this.”
Many followers suggested that the same sweater could be made for a fraction of the price with standard craft supplies, or simply by rummaging through a child’s room.
“I think I can get all the components at Walmart and after a few stitches I can make it for 24.99! I sell it for $50.00 and I’m making a million,” wrote Carolyn Kent Leach on Facebook, where the sweater was shared more than 900 times.
“Just roll around the ground of a nursery and this is what you would come out as,” said Shiraz Ansari.
Despite the whimsical design, no one seems amused by the jumper — least of all the fit model who sports the design.
“Perhaps his toy chest threw up on him?” reckoned Beth Drucker.
“We understand why he looks so upset,” joked @xavegeta on Twitter, in reference to the model’s wry expression.
One was reminded of how Lady Gaga, a passionate animal rights advocate, donned a jacket constructed entirely of Kermit the Frog puppets during an appearance on German television in 2009. She then gushed about Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, the avant-garde designer who created the kooky coat as a statement against animal cruelty.
“The Kermit the Frog outfit is by an incredible designer by the name of Jean[-Charles] de Castelbajac,” Gaga said at the time. “I really loved this one in particular because I thought it was commentary on not wearing fur, ’cause I hate fur and I don’t wear fur.” She added, astutely, “We were all laughing in the house about how it looks like a pile of dead Kermits.”
This doesn’t appear to be a similar statement by Louis Vuitton, whose history with animal cruelty is fraught. Their CEO Michael Burke told the Telegraph last year, “I can say 100% hand on heart our animals are humanely farmed.”
Not according to PETA, however, who recently exposed one of the fashion house’s factories as a site of animal torture, accusing Burke of “consumer fraud” in an open letter in December.
Louis Vuitton jumper covered in puppets costing £5,800 is mercilessly mocked
A Louis Vuitton jumper which is bizarrely decorated with giant puppets and costs almost £6,000 has been mercilessly mocked by shoppers.
The luxury fashion brand’s garish new creation has left customers in stitches, with people claiming it looks like what a ‘three-year-old’ would choose to wear.
The black Louis Vuitton jumper is unusually covered in 14 massive crocheted toys, including a green frog, a bright pink flamingo and other vibrant creatures.
The puppets have been compared to characters from old children’s TV shows, including The Muppets' Kermit the Frog and Big Bird from Sesame Street.
A Louis Vuitton jumper which is bizarrely decorated with 14 giant crocheted puppets and costs almost £6,000 has been mercilessly mocked by shoppers
The back of the jumper is surprisingly sparse in comparison with the puppet-heavy front, only featuring what appears to be a golden monkey and a black lobster.
But shoppers suspected the high-end fashion house was trying to pull the wood over their eyes with its eye-watering £5,800 price tag for the ‘Puppets All-Over’ jumper.
After Vogue Paris shared the product to Twitter, many users mercilessly mocked the product, claiming that they could easily make the jumper using ‘teddy bears and safety pins’.
One user quipped: ‘How hard can attaching your old stuffies to your sweater be’
Another woman said: ‘Well I am off to buy some teddy bears and safety pins.
‘Gonna be minted!’
The luxury fashion brand’s garish new creation has left customers in stitches, with people claiming it looks like what a ‘three-year-old’ would choose to wear
The puppets have been compared to characters from old children’s TV shows, including The Muppets’ Kermit the Frog and Big Bird from Sesame Street
While a third added: ‘It’s like when you ask a three-year-old to get dressed.’
One man joked, ‘I’m sure that flamingo is in Poundland’, while another woman said, ‘Can you imagine a bloke wearing that in the local park? Suspicions might be raised’.
Meanwhile other people hilariously joked that even the model ‘looked embarrassed’ wearing the eccentric jumper and said ‘if midlife crisis was a look this would be it’.
And another person tweeted: ‘We understand why he looks so upset’
Referencing the hit puppets musical, another woman hilariously joked: ‘Me when I am singing along with every part on Avenue Q.’
Some people even questioned how practical the design was, as you wouldn’t be able to fit a coat over it without squashing the 14 puppets.
After Vogue Paris shared the product to Twitter, many users mercilessly mocked the product, claiming that they could easily make the jumper using ‘teddy bears and safety pins’
Meanwhile other people hilariously joked that even the model ‘looked embarrassed’ wearing the eccentric jumper and said ‘if midlife crisis was a look this would be it’
But one woman seemed to be won over by the unique design, insisting that she would ‘never be lonely ever again’ while accompanied by the crocheted puppets.
She wrote: ‘I LOVE it!! So unique. And never be lost without a soft toy.
‘Never be lonely ever again!’
Describing the exclusive merino wool jumper on its website, Louis Vuitton claimed that ‘playful puppets’ are a ‘major theme’ this season.
The French fashion company wrote: ‘Exclusively made-to-order, this elaborate piece showcases the playful puppets that are a major theme this season.
‘Knitted in a regular fit from soft merino wool, it is adorned with 14 puppets crafted from crochet and jersey.
‘A half-zip at the front ensures that the neckline remains in shape.’
This ‘Puppet Hoodie’ By Louis Vuitton Can Be Yours For 9 Thousand Dollars Canadian
This Louis Exclusively made to order sweater is turning heads. Maybe not in a good way. The company says this hoodie is ‘Crafted from a blend of crochet and cotton-silk jersey and featuring embroidered eyes, the puppets are sown onto a classic hoodie shape in compact felpa cotton. The piece is signed with the collection’s new black satin label with beige lettering.’
You can check out more details about the sweater HERE….
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