'What is luxury?': Netizens define term as Pinay teen gets bashed for calling Charles & Keith luxury brand
MANILA, Philippines — The Singapore-based Filipina teen Zoe Gabriel is vindicated after she gets massive online support and even toured the headquarters of Charles & Keith after being bashed for calling it a luxury brand.
Together with her dad, she had lunch with the brand's founders, Charles and Keith Wong, in its headquarters in Singapore.
She had "fun" touring and knowing about the behind-the-scenes about the brand. She was also seen wearing one of the brand's platform sandals.
Earlier this week, Zoe posted a video on TikTok explaining why she considered the $80 Charles and Keith tote bag gift from her dad a luxury.
"Money is the topic that makes me uncomfortable to talk about and that is because growing up, I didn't have a lot. My family didn't have a lot. We couldnt buy new things as simple as bread from Bread Talk. It was such an occasional thing. That kind of thing was such a luxury to us," she explained. When we first moved to Singapore, every time we passed by a store, my parents would just say 'Next time.' But next time we'd never come."
According to the Straits Times article, Zoe's family moved from the Philippines to Singapore in 2010. It added that her father is a mechanical engineer.
"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. And I'm so grateful that my dad was able to get me one. He worked so hard for that money. I can't believe I got hate over a bag that I was so excited to have," she said.
Social media users trooped to her TikTok and Instagram to give her encouragement and support.
Over at Twitter, many turned introspective and tried to define luxury as something relative and personal.
Here are some of the reactions:
Why are people mad that a Tiktoker called Charles and Keith a “luxury brand”? Please explain
— elrey ???? (@Rey__Jan) January 13, 2023
$80 dollars is is ?4.4k right now in the Philippines. I’d very much consider that luxurious
Sleep to the overworked is luxury.
— Gerry Cacanindin (@GerryCacanindin) January 13, 2023
Free time to a single parent is luxury.
Ice cream on a hot day is luxury.
Jollibee to a balikbayan is luxury.
Enjoying hard-earned money is luxury.
Buying onions in the PH is luxury.
Luxury is relative. You go, Zoe! pic.twitter.com/Gng7iBuu80
idc what anyone says to me tbh charles and keith is luxury ???????????????? their bags still cost rm400++ how is that not luxury goodbye
— adlina? (@addddssss) January 11, 2023
$80 bag is still a LUXURY bag. There's a reason why Charles and Keith are marketed in big malls in SEA countries. For most of us, what you considered "fast fashion" is still luxurious to us. We can't afford h&m, uniqlo, zara, let alone fucking C&K. Shit angered me so much. https://t.co/2LKoeSFB3T
— jenna ???? Jean kirstein's personal whore (@jennakyuu) January 13, 2023
Sweet indeed! Congratulations, CHARLES & KEITH, for going viral in a positive way! And thank you, Zoe Gabriel, for schooling us on manners and money, fashion and family, love and luxury! This is indeed a sweet and viral vindication!
— BIG???????????????????????????????? (@BigYOURMAN) January 13, 2023
