Insulting handbags selling like hot cakes

SEATTLE – There is no doubt that sales are hot for handbags bearing an insult – in French – aimed at “our president.”

The question is: Which president? The bag’s designer Tom Bihn never guessed that purses with the message, ‘We’re sorry our president is an idiot. We didn’t vote for him’ – inscribed in French – would be blowing out of the stores.”It is a mystery, but since we launched the bags with the label sewn, sales have doubled,” said Bihn (43).”It is a record in the history of the company.”He denies the message is targeting US President George W Bush.”It depends on either your nationality, or the president you think is an idiot; you choose.”Clients throughout the United States have flooded his offices in Seattle and Port Angeles with calls and e-mails to order for the bags, he said.The company received “varied reactions” including “hate mail from a French citizen who thought the label was addressed to [French President] Jacques Chirac.”But 80 per cent of the Americans think it is an amusing message, he said.On his company’s website, he said: “Everyone seems to have a ‘president’ that they think is an idiot.Take your pick: Jacques Chirac, Bill Clinton, George Bush.”Neither Bihn nor his 10 employees have yet taken the situation seriously, but have launched a series of T-shirts, selling at US$20 each, with the same message, with funds to go to a war veterans’ centre in Seattle.- Nampa-AFPWe didn’t vote for him’ – inscribed in French – would be blowing out of the stores.”It is a mystery, but since we launched the bags with the label sewn, sales have doubled,” said Bihn (43).”It is a record in the history of the company.”He denies the message is targeting US President George W Bush.”It depends on either your nationality, or the president you think is an idiot; you choose.”Clients throughout the United States have flooded his offices in Seattle and Port Angeles with calls and e-mails to order for the bags, he said.The company received “varied reactions” including “hate mail from a French citizen who thought the label was addressed to [French President] Jacques Chirac.”But 80 per cent of the Americans think it is an amusing message, he said.On his company’s website, he said: “Everyone seems to have a ‘president’ that they think is an idiot.Take your pick: Jacques Chirac, Bill Clinton, George Bush.”Neither Bihn nor his 10 employees have yet taken the situation seriously, but have launched a series of T-shirts, selling at US$20 each, with the same message, with funds to go to a war veterans’ centre in Seattle.- Nampa-AFP