The demand for Loewe’s latest link-up with Studio Ghibli was high: from the off, avid fans of both the fashion house and the animation studio were vocalising their misery at having missed out on the collection on social media. This time around, the focus was on their classic movie — arguably the jewel in their crown — Spirited Away. But with almost all items sold out, the collection’s value has shot up substantially: the least expensive item, a $220 candle, has popped up on eBay for a few thousand dollars shy of half a million dollars.
Yep, you read that right. Of course, the obscenity of the resale market is no surprise to anyone who lived through that eye-watering era of LV x Supreme. When two creative powerhouses join forces, you inevitably get an influx of both fanbases scrambling to get it. Naturally, the ones who missed out are equally feverish; especially the ones with deep pockets.
The candle in question, which harbours “a smoky scent nuanced by the earthy, woody and sweet aspects of Vetiver Java”, was a quick sell-out on the day, and so it’s not surprising it’s been so in-demand on the resale market. The one gutsy eBayer trying to sell it for $451,000 might end up being disappointed – there are others going for around double RRP, at $450. Still pricey for a candle, but a collector’s item nonetheless.
Elsewhere, on Grailed, the jacquard sweats set featuring Haku have nearly tripled in price: the shorts, which had a £1000 RRP, are now selling for £2500. The leather goods were snapped up pretty quickly too, with the £250 Kaonashi card wallet now retailing for £590. And the Susuwatari small vertical wallet? That too has also doubled in value from £495 to over £1000 on the site.
It’s clear the collection has been a big success for Loewe, who’ve managed to get the coveted and difficult-to-acquire approval of one of the great animation houses in filmmaking history. The question is: how high will these prices go in years to come? What collaboration could be next? And is anyone, with more money than sense, going to drop $500k on a candle?
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