Unless you live under a rock, you must now be aware of the infamous Sapphire 50% off sale held yesterday as part of a localized Black Friday version slash the clothing brand’s first anniversary.
While social media was running amuck with footages of the Sapphire sale that went slightly BATSHIT CRAZY, we decided to see what our fellow countrymen’s take was on this first of its kind Black Friday sale in Pakistan and the phadda that ensued.
Was it really worth it?
Pret i.e. ready-to-wear shirts at Sapphire cost PKR2500+ on an average and a 50% sale meant the prices were slashed down to roughly PKR1500. ITNA SASTA ZAMEER???
All these women losing their self respect over clothes #Sapphire #Sale
— FatimaRafiq (@ItsRafiqq) November 27, 2015
All im thinking is that #Sapphire shirts are mostly for Rs 2100-2800. 50% off =1050/1400. And these rich women just fought for this? Sick.
— duurbeen (@duurbein) November 27, 2015
Could this be a marketing gimmick?
The conspiracy theorists have jumped in as expected. So could this really be a strategy to position the brand um right in your face? If yes it proved to be awe-bloody (pun intended)-some! The clothing brand is reportedly trending at supersonic speed and it’s just getting better and better!
#Sapphire trending at No 3 in Pakistan — what a brilliant marketing strategy the catfight video
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) November 27, 2015
Have we stopped and contextualized the woman in blue's experience? Do we even know the struggle that brought her to this point? #Sapphire
— Shaheryar Mirza (@mirza9) November 27, 2015
And shame on those media channels reporting this incident.. What a cheap marketing strategy by #Sapphire
— Umairacle (@UmairKiBatain) November 27, 2015
The ones with the need to proclaim how they’re all above it
And then we found some who felt the need to publicly reiterate their superior choices in life.
Kia ho gaya hai sab ko? Sapphire isn't even that amazing. Just regular printed kurtay.
— Nadia (@shadesofnadia) November 27, 2015
Quite apart from everything else, am I the only one who finds Sapphire's cuts horribly boring?
— MiraHashmi (@monadarling) November 27, 2015
That sapphire sale video is the reason why God made me a woman who doesn't like to shop.
— That feminist type (@mahamnasirr) November 27, 2015
The existentialists barged in, too!
Their views are a staple in every argument, every conflict in the world. Be it the skyrocketing fuel prices or their kids’ bad grades. OR their married friend’s latest love interest. They have to think about where THIS NATION IS HEADING. Always.
Is this what we are as a Nation??? #Sapphire https://t.co/3aIN367YOV
— Abdul Wahab Butt (@abdulisbest) November 27, 2015
These women are responsible for an entire future generation of this country. Let's let that sink in for a second. #sapphire
— A. (@Ezraile) November 27, 2015
#Sapphire clothing store fight being sent on every whatsapp group I'm part of + shared by everyone on FB. Truly is a country of voyeurs.
— Umair Javed (@umairjav) November 27, 2015
PTI was remembered. As always.
Trust our awaam to shamelessly drag PTI and Immy K into EVERYTHING!
Not sure if PTI jalsa or Sapphire sale. pic.twitter.com/YZbyJUFJzQ
— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) November 27, 2015
#Sapphire sale on one hand and #PTI jalsa in #Islamabad on the other..aaj dono tak pohanchna mushkil hi nahin, namumkin sa ban gaya hai.
— Sikander F. Bhadera (@SikanderFayyaz) November 27, 2015
Some fun-facts about Sapphire!
Sapphire is a high-street brand owned by designer Khadija Shah making it Elan’s sister company.
Sapphire is only a year old and today’s monumental sale marked its first anniversary.
Recently, Sapphire was brought under a heated controversy after allegations arose about the brand plagiarizing artworks by Shelley Steer and Johanna Burai, both of whom are freelance graphic designers and illustrators based in London and Sweden.
Khadija Shah, the name behind the brand however, was quick to admit to the lapse and damage-control was taken care of almost immediately. She claimed, “We are a brand in our infancy and used the web or Pinterest quite literally as a common-interest fashion resource for selecting patterns for our ready-to-wear range, as is the norm for all high-street brands in our country since there is no copyright or intellectual law in place here.”
Black Friday and Boxing Day sales along with the lunacy that follows might finally be coming to this part of the world, however globally it’s a widely accepted phenomenon. People wait in never-ending queues outside their favourite stores and if by any chance the opportunity of getting their favourite item at half the price is put in jeopardy, things do tend to get a little sour. After all, Hell hath no fury like a woman who misses out on a 50% off sale, right?
We managed to get a few images depicting what these sales look like in the West.
Source: Dailymail
Source: The Mirror
Source: Brightcove
Source: Dailyrecord
So, there’s no reason to be outraged at people getting a bit aggressive at these sales and making a big deal out it. Everyone does it, we’re not the only ones.