Is Singapore obsessed with price tags? TikTok users defend teen who faced 'luxury' bag insults
A Singapore teenager ridiculed on TikTok for labelling a S$80 (US$60) Charles & Keith bag a "luxury" item has toured the brand's offices as her fight back against online cruelty - and the city's unalloyed wealth culture - continued to win her fans.
Zoe Gabriel said in a video she was at the fashion brand's Singapore headquarters on Thursday.
"Everybody is so nice. Thanks for having me," the 17-year-old wrote in an Instagram story, also sharing a photo of the office building.
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It was a swift turnaround for Gabriel, who goes by 'zohtaco' on TikTok. On Sunday, she became the target of social media scorn when some users mocked her for thanking her dad for the purchase of a bag from the firm, disputing its right to be called a "luxury".
"I get that you come from humble beginnings but calling [Charles & Keith] a luxury brand is just too much," said one such TikTok comment.
But Gabriel struck back with an impassioned response, played over the video app, explaining her humble upbringing, highlighting Singapore's obsession with price tags and appealing for better online etiquette.
"Money is the topic that makes me most uncomfortable to talk about," she said, holding back tears. "And that is because growing up, I did not have a lot. My family didn't have a lot.
"Your comment spoke volumes about how ignorant you seem because of your wealth," she added.
Singapore's social media has since been abuzz with questions of snobbery, wealth, and the pernicious nature of online commentary.
Gabriel's videos - which have since garnered more than 8 million views - caught the attention of Charles & Keith, a Singapore fashion and accessories brand, which came to her defence and invited her to their headquarters.
But despite some negative reactions, social media users mostly voiced support for Gabriel.
"[Charles & Keith] was my first luxury bag too. I was just as excited as you when I first got my hands on it," said one TikTok user.
"The bag looks beautiful on you, and it is so sweet that your dad got it for you," said another.
On Twitter, US model and TikTok personality Wisdom Kaye asked his followers how he could reach Gabriel, so that he could gift her some more bags.
"I just hate the fact that someone can share something good and exciting in their life and everyone wants to tear them down," he tweeted.
Some users were also dismayed by the ignorance that persists among the privileged in Singapore.
"Of course this would happen in Singapore, people can be so materialistic and snobby here about high-end items," a TikTok user said.
"Rich and privileged people in [Singapore] will never understand how the middle to lower-income families live," tweeted one user. "Be kind and be humble no matter how rich you are."
In August, Singapore's deputy prime minister Lawrence Wong indicated that the government needs to do more to tackle wealth inequality as core inflation in the island nation surged to a 14-year-high.
Charles & Keith began as a small shoe store in a hotel shopping arcade in 1996. Founded by brothers Charles and Keith Wong, the brand made headlines in 2011 when French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH bought a 20 per cent stake in the business, which the brothers have since bought back.
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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