Can’t make it, then fake it: ‘Own’ a top designer handbag…for a day!

South African entrepreneurs are always on the lookout for the next big product or service. One business that is perplexing social media users, is one that rents out designer handbags. According to a Twitter screenshot from a local tweep, there are luxury handbags available to rent on a daily or weekly basis…or just for a weekend.

Taking to Twitter on Monday 16 May, Twitter user @maryjaneexplore shared the handbag rental service with her 40 000 followers, leaving tweeps stunned!

Renting a Celine handbag for one day will set you back R1 200 while renting the same bag for a week will cost you R2 200.

According to the Celine website, the same handbag costs $2 150 (R34 406)…

Another handbag available for rental is a Louis Vuitton bag that is available for R1 000 weekly. A similar handbag retails for roughly R42 000.

When asked what would happen if the bag was not returned, one tweep claimed the store would charge the customer a deposit fee, to secure the safety of the item.

TWEEPS WEIGH IN 

Tweeps had mixed reactions about the rental business. Some praised the business idea while others thought it was just plain bizarre.

One tweep wrote: “This is a great idea and is good for the environment.”

“This sounds like a great business idea to me. Especially if I want something for a specific occasion and don’t want to commute to it,” wrote another tweep.

“This renting screams forcing a lifestyle you can’t afford somehow.”

“Why are we spending money on things we can’t afford to show people we have said hypothetically money.”

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU RENT? 

In 2021, a Tiktoker claimed the Gucci store at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town was allegedly allowing people to pose with empty shopping bags for R1 000.

She captioned the video: “Gucci, I’m disappointed that you entertain this mess for Instagrammers selling dreams.”

Take a look here