- Zoe Gabriel, a Singapore-based TikToker, has created a video thanking her father for buying her a $60 bag.
- Some reviewers mocked 17-year-old Gabriel for referring to the bag as “luxury”.
- Gabriel described the negative comments as “ignorant”, saying he did not grow up in wealth.
A Singapore-based TikToker has responded in a tearful video to online hate after it was mocked for calling a $60 bag a “luxury.”
On January 8, 17-year-old Zoe Gabriel shared a post. video with a text on the screen that reads “my first luxury bag”. In the clip, Gabriel is seen buying a bag from Singaporean fashion brand Charles & Keith.
The video was then cut with a clip that Gabriel unboxed his purchase and put over his shoulder. The note “Thank you dad” fell under the sharing.
Gabriel’s post exploded and was viewed 6.7 million times, but received a mixed response.
While some people wrote positive words complimenting her and saying they liked her new bag, others seemed to mock her for using the term “luxury” to describe the item. it retails for $76 on the fashion house’s US website, and 79.90 Singapore dollarsor about $60 on the Singapore website.
Some reviewers have compared its description to “call it fine dining to a fast food restaurant” and highlighted fashion brands that have a similar price point but are not often described as “luxury.”
Later that day, Gabriel asked, “Who will tell him?” followed by a smiley emoji. He filmed a response explaining that he stood by his use of the term “luxury”.
“I didn’t have much when I was growing up. My family didn’t have much. We couldn’t buy things as simple as bread,” he said.
In the clip, she tearfully continued, “Your comment says volumes about how ignorant you look because of your wealth. An $80 bag might not be a luxury for you. That’s too much for me and my family, and I’m so grateful Dad could get me one. He “He worked hard for the money. I can’t believe I got hate for a bag I was so excited to have.”
It received an overwhelmingly positive response, gaining 2.1 million views and 171,000 likes, and commenters began writing positive comments under this video as well as its original post.
“Haters who make fun of you are too privileged to look at things from another angle and be happy for someone else. Don’t let that get you down,” one commenter wrote.
Another commenter said, “Nice bag. Having a dad who loves you is a luxury in itself.”
βThank you to everyone who has shown me love and support,β Gabriel continued. Message From January 9, “Remember to be kind and caring and have the best day ever.”
Gabriel did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment, but In an email to the Singapore wide-page newspaper The Straits TimesTikToker said it initially felt that the negative response it received “emphasizes the blind spot of people who grow up with privilege and take it for granted.” middle-income, much less poor.”
Representatives for Charles & Keith didn’t immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment, but told The Straits Times that after seeing the video of Gabriel, they invited him and his father to lunch with the company’s founders, who came from “humble beginnings.”
A company spokesperson said, βOur founders believe that our products should inspire joy, empower and inspire confidence in fashionistas, something that we believe she delivers so eloquently in her video and for which we are so grateful.β
Zoe Gabriel has over 44,000 TikTok followers and often posts lifestyle content that shares information about herself with her followers. truths Filipino heritage and about it family.
On TikTok, influencers have previously been criticized for facing charges of making big and expensive purchases, being privileged, or not making contact.
In October, Insider reported An influencer got backlash for saying he “accidentally” bought a sofa for $100,000, and later claimed it was all a joke. In November, another impressive He said he spent $10,000 on Harry Styles to be close to the stage, drawing criticism from commentators who said that level of spending would be beyond the means of many ordinary people.
For more news like this, check out Insider’s Digital Culture team coverage here.