Japanese PM's Favorite Bag Becomes Trend, Demand Increases Drastically

The bag used by the Japanese Prime Minister became a trend (Photo: The Straits Times)

JAKARTA - The bag brought by Japan's first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi suddenly went viral and raised the name of a 145-year-old local leather bag manufacturer to the national and even international stage.

Netizens quickly recognized the bag that Takaichi often brought when he entered the prime minister's official residence as the Grace Delight Tote' made by waro Inc., a well-known leather goods-making company that has long been a favorite of the Japanese imperial family.

At a price of around 136,000 Yuan or Rp. 14 million, the bag is now the target of many people. Since its appearance went viral on social media, my boss, based in the prefecture of Nagano, Central Japan, has now become flooded with orders.

According to the official website, although all of them are made of skin, this bag weighs only 700 grams and is designed to balance misery and practicality.

Badminton stated that it had received an extraordinary number of orders after Takaichi's photos with the bag were widely circulated on social media and reported on various international media.

Due to high demand, new shipments of bags are expected to be made until the end of April and the company apologizes for the delay in responding to customer questions.

This phenomenon is not new in the world of politics. A number of female politicians have inspired similar trends through their fashion choices.

Usually, female politicians choose well-known luxury brands, but unusual choices can actually have a big impact on small brands, as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did in the United States when she introduced her Telfar bag in 2020.

Takaichi, who is now 64 years old, is known as an admirer of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. It is also known for its neat handbags from the English label Launer. But beyond his style of dress, Takaichi has its unique side of liking heavy metal music, cars, and motorcycles.

The survey shows Takaichi is quite popular among the younger generation, although it is not clear which age group imitates the prime minister's accessories style the most.

According toLAH Nakano, a cultural and luxury expert as well as a guest lecturer at Aoyama Gakuin University, the kano bag is attractive to many professional women.

"This bag is a solid and reliable choice for women in a managerial position," he said.

"In addition, the price is relatively affordable compared to foreign brands with similar qualities," he added.

Apart from bags, Takaichi also often wears clothes by Japanese designer Jun Ashida. According to Nakano, this step shows Takaichi's nationalism and support for the local industry.

"By wearing Japanese designer clothes and carrying a domestically made bag, he clearly showed pride in Japanese products and it was proven that the move was successful."

The bag used by the Japanese Prime Minister became a trend (Photo: The Straits Times)