River Island is selling a £180 sleeping bag coat and fashion has definitely gone too far

River Island is selling a £180 sleeping bag coat and fashion has definitely gone too far
We thought we’d seen it all when ASOS released a range of questionable clothing items, and we lost even more faith when Spanx came forward with some arm tights – but it’s River Island who’s winning the ‘WTF?’ clothing award of the year.
The clothing brand has released an oversized sleeping bag coat which comes in pink and khaki.
It’s made using padded fabric and features a zipped detachable blanket, cuffed sleeves, a funnel neck and a concealed zip front fastening for extra warmth.
Honestly, while the coat does make the wearer look like a walking duvet, we’ve got to admit it sounds luxurious – the perfect coat to snuggle up in when you don’t want to waste money on the heating.
But that’s not the problem – the problem is that this coat costs a whopping £180 – and it seems to be inspired by what people living on the streets often have to wear to keep warm at night.
The sleeping bag coat was first introduced by Detroit-based non-profit the Empowerment Plan, which hires previously homeless women to make warm coats from sleeping bag materials for those still living on the streets.
The jacket, which can be worn as a coat, transforms into a sleeping bag and even into a shoulder bag, is constructed of durable, water resistant Cordura fabric from Carhartt, upcycled automotive insulation from General Motors, and other materials provided by generous donors.
Instead of selling the coats, the charity asks that those willing sponsor a coat – which covers the cost of labour, materials and overhead expenses – and ultimately gives someone in need something warm for the winter.
Overall, this wonderful idea will cost a sponsor £80, which is £100 less than what River Island is selling as a fashion statement.
We understand that to stay relevant, brands have to consistently come up with new ideas to wow their customers – even if those ideas are controversial.
But we have to question what the designers were thinking when they created a coat that looks more like a pink puffer jacket with a cape-like sleeping bag attached to it.
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