There are two aspects of this story that I found interesting. First, is that the 18-year-old daughter of Clint Eastwood, Francesca, destroyed a $100,000 Hermès Birkin bag and, second, there is a $100,000 Hermès bag. Eastwood has triggered a firestorm of controversy over the “art” video with her boyfriend, Tyler Shields, with people noting that they destroyed a bag worth over three times the annual salary of most working Americans. Some have noted that some (budget basement) bag can go for as little as $10,000. Would that matter?
I am not sure what to be more outraged about as part of the Lumpenproletariat: owning or destroying a $100,000 bag. I think I will go with owning one.
The destruction was shown in a series of pictures on Shields’s website, tylershields.com. They show Eastwood burning the bad with gasoline and then shredding it with a $200 chainsaw. They insist it is a genuine purse and Shields states “Destruction is a beautiful version of freedom … Would you want this bag? Are you sad to see me destroy it?” Clever and edgy. Next they might try peasant shooting:
Shield’s responded to the widespread criticism with a curious offer: “If somebody wants to buy one of the Birkin photos, I will donate $100,000 — not to a charity — but to a family. I will give one family in need $100,000 cash.”
Young Eastwood is part of a reality show “Mrs. Eastwood and Company,” featuring Eastwood’s second wife Dina and members of their blended family.
Frankly, I cannot imagine what could go into a handbag to make it worth the price of a home, but I expect it contains an overdose of sheer snobbism. Some bags reportedly go as high as $150,000. That certainly makes it a worthwhile image for artistic destruction, but a knockoff would seem a good substitute. However, artists have often chosen valuable things to destroy to make a statement. The band K Foundation once burned £1 million cash. Likewise, Chinese artist and dissident Ai Weiwei was famous for his destroying a Han Dynasty vase as part of his artistic expression.
Moreover, the super rich often spend lavishly. While young Eastwood’s mother has said that the teen has no sense of money, many celebrities vie for buying (or destroying) with abandon. Such is the case with Steven Tyler’s purchase of the first 2012 Hennessey Venom GT for over $1 million. Would it be immoral for him to now burn the car as an artistic expression? It would be more artistically appealing than his ability to sing the national anthem. Where do you draw the line between immoral consumption and merely obscene spending?
What is clear is that it presents a slightly different image of an Eastwood after Clint Eastwood’s popular video during the Superbowl celebrating the return of the American worker:
Well, its halftime in the Eastwood house and little Francesca may need to hear from Dad:
People are out of work and they’re hurting. And they’re all wondering what they’re going to do to make a comeback. And we’re all scared, because this isn’t a game.
The people of Detroit know a little something about this. They almost lost everything. But we all pulled together, now Motor City is fighting again.
I’ve seen a lot of tough eras, a lot of downturns in my life. And, times when we didn’t understand each other. It seems like we’ve lost our heart at times. When the fog of division, discord, and blame made it hard to see what lies ahead.
Source: Globe and Mail
is it just me or does that idealist 707 guy get on yournerves too,all his clever little wordings related toi things like waxwings and “fisherfish”???you mean an angler fish,mr wannabe scholar,stfu already,your condescending remarks don’t impress anybody but yourself,half of the garb you write makes no sense,its like youre a cheap version of dennis miller.trying to be clever with your analogies and play on words.god ,what an irritating person you are.
no tv. don’t like the city. sex, well it isn’t what it used to be.
bettykath 1, May 31, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Bags and shoes. I don’t get it either.
Watch Sex and The City.
Bags and shoes. I don’t get it either.
Shoes and purses … never understood the fixation./Blouise
And he who moved 35 shoe boxes once, says it was perhaps once and now to some extent an affordable luxury for working girls. Now exactly why their reproduction instinct expressed itself in bags and shoes is a question. But perhaps scarves have their moment, etc., but shoes and bags are perennial favos.
They call attention to or can disguise hand or foot size too.
Clever man!
As for status symbols, yes of course, expensive bags are that, that’s right. But status helps if not you but then your sons and daughters in making the right connections. And are sometimes cheaper than college educations, particularly when borne by your marriageable kids.
Speculation, always speculation. Life is so. We speculate that we will survíve climate change or the next ice age—-which ever comes. Just because our african ancestors did, does not mean we will do so.
In the meanwhile enjoy your Birkin bags. A rumor is circulating that the genuine ones are made from the hides
of unsuccessfully separated Siamese twins—–or was it quads? The ones for 100K are from old Nobel prize winners, that is why they are so wrinkly, but all the rarer. Guess the source of that rumor? You’re right, as usual.
The stunt is probably more polite than the reality.
This was a stunt to prop up a reality tv show so I would imagine the TV network is paying for the stunt. Another reason to not watch reality tv shows.
ID707,
Better hope you don’t piss off West Virginia or Kentucky. I’m from Oregon. You’re on your own, shithead.
idealist, That’s true about the relatives. I thought you were talking about insider political connections. We had 2 inches of rain last night, and it has not been 100 degrees.
SwM.
My memory serves me poorly. Besides our beloved waxwings I thought we shared an amazement at having 450 relatives identified and located all over the world. Wish I had 10 percent of that. My branch seems to be petering out. And y’all others can say thank goodness under your breaths.
So when my old buddy who snobs with the 700 pers who he entertained at his wedding in Lebanon comes bragging again, then I can say that’s nothing, SwM can gather at least 2000 rekatuves at her festivities.
Sorry, that I did not manage to lure you into doing my googling for me. So great a task. But guess I will have to do it now.
Have you passed 100 degrees yet this summer?
they are made out of baby seals that died natural deaths.
ID707,
Piss off.
I’m not retired. Fired, but not retired.
Matt Johnson said:
Stay in Sweden. I’m sure you have plenty of buddies there.
And then he says:
Depends on your perspective.
Now is he a variety of the fisher fish? You have seen them, lying flat in the muddy bottom, dingling a lure from
their foreheads to attract some other fish.
And when one comes near, he opens his jaws and the water pulse carries the other into its maw.
Now fish who make that mistake get selected OUT of the gene pool. But the supply of stupid fish is large and the fisherfísh does well.
Shall we consider who Matt is fishing after.
He seems to remember how it was for a week or so ago.
He was quite spritely and eeling in all directions.
I wonder if he could tell us what brand or species of mushrooms he was consuming then.
You’re welcome to Sweden Matt. But be careful, the sanity might be catching.
And empty the scorpions out of your soiled bunk before you go beddy-bye. And take off your sneakers too. What would your mamma say? Oh she does every night, does she. Does it help you remember? Doubt it.
And thanks for the fun. Did you enjoy the attention?
How’d y’all like them snarks? Pretty good, huh?
idealist, I don’t have too many connections. I am retired.
“Hermès is 174 years old and is widely regarded at the most luxurious super-luxe label. It has just announced a 50 percent jump in its first half profits to £257million due to huge demand for its famous Kelly and Birkin handbags.
However, Chief Executive Patrick Thomas warned investors that the company would not be able to maintain its level of performance for the rest of the year because it was running out of stock.
To cope with demand, the company has employed more than 400 extra staff members. It also plans to open 10 new stores.
The handbags, which range from around £10,000 up to about £150,000 are popular among the super-rich, royalty and celebrities; the Queen, Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham all wear the brand. Victoria Beckham is believed to have spend over £1.5million on more than 100 Hermès Birkin handbags.
The Kelly bag was named after Grace Kelly, while the bigger Birkin was the result of a chance meeting between Jane Birkin and former Hermès boss Jean-Louis Dumas on a Paris-London flight, when the actor complained that her Kelly bag was not big enough. They start at around $10,000, but can cost up to $150,000.” European Business Review.
SwM,
You’ve got the connections. So please check out for me the report from yesterday from my Afganistan helper that BBC both persian and english had a report featuring jewish
emigrants from Afgnaistan for many decades(?) ago who have become a most prominent and successful group in Israel. This is interesting to me in general, but also since an english adventurer recorded, in his book on wanderings from Iran to Afganistan, meeting such a group going out over the snowy and muddy pass. They said they were going to the promised land. He asked if they were fleeing. No, they said. So what has BBC found to headline?
idealist, I don’t think the bags have anything to do with reproduction. They are just another status symbol like a fancy car.
ID707,
Depends on your perspective.
Shoes and purses … never understood the fixation.