If, after a quick and distinctly undemocratic process, we had to pick the worst fashion trend among those cluttering our field of vision, it would surely be the one that has propelled enormous water bottles shaped like mugs or giant cups onto the arms of city dwellers around the world.
Despite recent competition from the monstrous Labubu figurines or the charms weighing down countless handbags and mobile phones, this trend remains unsurpassed in its absurdity. The frenzied appeal of these oversized objects, which originated in the United States, rests on a double promise.
The first is almost medical: regular and abundant hydration that supposedly contributes to overall health and wellness. The second pertains to collective well-being. Until global powers finally agree to reduce their CO2 emissions, choosing to drink from a reusable container instead of a plastic bottle is touted as our best chance to halt climate change and save ourselves.
Of course, it would all be too good to be true. First, we should note that some fans of these accessories, gathered on TikTok under the hashtag #WaterTok, take pleasure in undermining the very principle of hydration by flavoring their water with syrups, aspartame powders and other chemical delights that taste like Skittles, Oreo, or diabetes.
More importantly, the environmental argument here is no more than a dubious consumerist excuse, fueled on one side by brands urging people to amass these bottles in a wild variety of colors and styles, and on the other, by customers delighted to coat their shopping frenzy with a thin veneer of eco-consciousness at little cost (though one of these models costs at least €50).
Just as collecting tote bags, hoarding secondhand purchases on Vinted, or attending an environmental conference by private jet will never help save the planet, carrying a giant mug to the office, school, or Pilates class is, environmentally speaking, nothing more than pure hypocrisy in poor taste. In fact, after years of field observation, we can say with certainty: when a trend is silly, it is rarely stylish.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.