Teen Who Was Mocked For Calling Charles & Keith A Luxury Brand Is Now Their Ambassador
You go, girl!
By Aqasha Nur’aiman — 06 Mar 2023, 10:34 AM
Back in January, 17-year-old Singaporean Zoe Gabriel was mocked online after she posted a video of herself purchasing a bag from Charles & Keith and describing it as a "luxury" brand
In the clip, she was seen happily modelling an SGD79.90 (RM265.86) Double Handle Tote Bag gifted to her by her father.
After posting the TikTok video, the teen received negative feedback from netizens who called her naive for thinking Charles & Keith was a high-end brand.
Following the negative comments, Zoe posted a follow-up video in which she expressed her disappointment at receiving such comments when she was only happy to show the world her brand-new gift.
"Money is the topic that makes me most uncomfortable to talk about because growing up, I did not have a lot.
"To you, an SGD80 bag may not be a luxury, [but] for me and my family it is a lot. And I was so grateful that my dad was able to get me one," she said in the video, adding that her family could not even afford to buy bread from BreadTalk.
Watch Zoe's heartfelt video here:
After her emotional video went viral, Zoe and her father were given a surprise lunch treat and a tour of the company's headquarters by the founders of Charles & Keith
The founders, Charles and Keith Wong, said that they were touched by the video as they also came from humble beginnings, adding that they were "so inspired by her humility".
"Our hearts really went out to Zoe, but we were so impressed with (how gracefully) she handled the situation, displaying wisdom far beyond her years, and values that resonated with us greatly. Our founders believe that our products should spark joy, empower fashion lovers, and give them confidence, something we believe she presented so eloquently in her video," a spokesperson for the company told The Straits Times.
Yesterday, 5 March, the brand announced on Instagram that Zoe is now a Charles & Keith ambassador by posting a photo of her modelling their brand new collection
In the Instagram post, Zoe can be seen fashionably posing with a purple Alia bag for the brand's International Women's Day campaign.
The caption read, "Zoe Gabriel, content creator and Charles & Keith's Brand Community Ambassador, with the purple Alia bag. The launch of this special iteration of the Alia bag is in support of UN Women's 'Storytelling for Gender Equality' programme."
Charles & Keith also uploaded Zoe's heartfelt letter for women across the world.
"Women are like flowers. Our time and needs to grow may not always align, but that is okay. This International Women's Day, let us celebrate with compassion. Let us celebrate equality through equity, the way flowers do." wrote the 17-year-old.
