How much would you spend on table tennis paddles? 10 USD? Maybe 20 USD? Well, if you answered anything less than 2,600 USD, you won’t be unleashing ‘balls of fury’ with French luxury brand Louis Vuitton’s new table tennis equipment.
The ‘James Ping Pong Set,’ currently available in select Louis Vuitton stores and on the brand’s official website, comes in two different colors and includes two paddles, racket covers emblazoned with the brand’s logo, four ‘ping-pong’ balls, and — cue laughter — a leather harness for the balls.
Touted as “a great travel companion,” the paddles have Louis Vuitton medallions embedded on the end of their handles.
Prices for the table tennis set vary from country to country, but consumers can expect to shell out more in China, where a set costs 18,300 RMB (about 2,600 USD). In the U.S., a set will set you back by 2,280 USD or 2,400 USD, depending on its color.
The release of the luxury table tennis set has prompted much discussion in China, where the sport was once used as a tool for diplomacy. In fact, ping-pong is so popular in China that it is known as guo qiu or ‘national ball game.’
Although the sport is well-loved in China, many Chinese netizens are (entirely understandably) questioning the point of having a luxury table tennis set.
“It’s an ugly and expensive piece of wood. Luxury consumers don’t know how to play table tennis, and real players wouldn’t buy these. So who would buy this product?” critiqued one Weibo user.
Some ping-pong enthusiasts have pointed out that the equipment is “not up to professional standards.” Meanwhile, others have jokingly inquired whether the posh set will help them win tournaments or become Olympic champions.
The paddles are not the first luxury product to have sparked derision among Chinese netizens. Earlier this month, social media users deemed Balenciaga’s ‘Trash Pouch’ a rip-off.
Cover image via Louis Vuitton China
