The craze for the lurid alcopops BuzzBallz has taken a new twist after a range of handbags inspired by the pre-mixed cocktails sold out in 40 seconds.
Hugely popular with Gen Z drinkers, the tennis-ball-shaped containers costing £3.99 are much more potent than the alcopops midlife parents enjoyed in the 1990s – containing at least 13 per cent alcohol.
Today, however, the brand turned its attention from booze to bags, launching an eight-strong collection of accessories modelled on the popular 200ml cocktails.
Creators claimed that each one was worth £4,000 and was inspired by high-end designers such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton.
As of yesterday thousands had joined the waiting list to be in with a chance to buy a bag for the same £3.99 price as their favourite cocktail.
Within 40 seconds of the launch today on the Buzz-A-Porter website, cheekily named after the designer shopping site Net-a-Porter, eight people had got their hands on the limited-edition accessories.
Each bag is unique, but takes clear inspiration from ‘the bag classics everyone knows and reinvented them’, according to Jess Scheerhorn, vice president at BuzzBallz.
BuzzBallz has released a limited edition collection of one-off BuzzBagz, taking inspiration from iconic bag designs such as Louis Vuitton and Ikea
The collection has already garnered over 3,000 people on the waitlist before it goes on sale on December 18, with each bag retailing at just £3.99, the same price as a BuzzBallz cocktail
A green leather BuzzBag that resembles the brand’s bestselling Tequila ‘Rita cocktail features a smooth exterior is embossed with the letters BB, much like the popular Telfar leather shopping bags.
Another features a monogram design all over the exterior of the bag – a la Louis Vuitton – while a blue BuzzBag bears a striking resemblance to the iconic Ikea blue shopper bag.
A Chanel-inspired BuzzBag features a white padded leather exterior with gold hardware and a gold chain strap.
The collection also includes a red leather BuzzBag with matching charms that may call to mind Coach, and a mustard-yellow leather handbag with a padlock that resembles a Chloe creation.
Even the trendy Trader Joe’s canvas tote bag has been BuzzBallz-ified into a round version of the US supermarket’s merchandise, complete with navy straps.
Scheerhorn added: ‘BuzzBallz have never just been a cocktail; they’re a whole vibe and the unofficial accessory of every night-out storyline.
‘You see them in every 1am bathroom selfie and fit check. BuzzBallz takes that energy and makes it real, built for people moving from pre’s to afters and everything in between.’
BuzzBallz, created in the US, first started appearing on UK shelves around June 2022 but only really took off among Gen Z drinkers last summer.
The trendy booze brand has taken over the UK’s corner shops, despite research published earlier this year that claimed Gen Z believe Dry January has become outdated, with 20 per cent already giving up drinking for good.
The launch comes after immense success for the brand this year, as it became the favourite cocktail among Gen Z drinkers
However, the potent 13.5 per cent alcohol by volume content prompted some young people to warn that they are ‘dangerous’ as just a few sips are enough to make them ‘tipsy’.
The brand was invented by Texan school teacher Merrilee Kick, who was busy battling the heat while grading papers by the pool when she was hit by a ‘craving for a cocktail that she could sip from a plastic container rather than a fragile glass’, according to the website.
‘Inspired by the spherical shape of a snow globe bought on a family trip to Sweden and a can of tennis balls she saw in a sporting goods store, her innovative idea for BuzzBallz began to take shape,’ the story continued.
‘After graduating with an MBA, Merrilee tirelessly researched and developed her concept, taking out a loan to launch the company and enlisting her family to help get the business off the ground.
‘Fast forward to today, millions of BuzzBallz are sold across the United States and internationally.’
The cocktails – which are made with ‘real fruit juice or cream’ and ‘premium spirits’ – are contained in 100 per cent recyclable packaging.
