BuzzBallz handbag collection sells out in 40 seconds

BuzzBallz's first £3.99 handbag collection sold out in 40 seconds on the Buzz-A-Porter site, with eight limited-edition BuzzBagz claimed in the opening wave. The eight bags, modeled on the brand’s popular 200ml cocktails, were priced at the same £3.99 as the drinks themselves and described as one-off designs.

Creators said each bag was worth about £4,000 and drew inspiration from high-end labels such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton. The company had built a waitlist of thousands; more than 3,000 people had joined ahead of a sale set for December 18. The Buzz-A-Porter platform is a playful nod to Net-a-Porter, the designer-shopping site referenced by the brand team. Eight customers had secured purchases within 40 seconds of the site going live.

The collection includes bags in several designs: a green leather BuzzBag resembling the Tequila 'Rita cocktail with a smooth exterior and BB embossing, a monogram-covered exterior echoing Louis Vuitton, and a blue BuzzBag that nods to Ikea's iconic blue shopper bag. Other models reference Chanel with a white padded leather exterior and gold hardware, a red leather bag with charm detailing reminiscent of Coach, and a mustard-yellow piece featuring a padlock evocative of Chloe. A round Trader Joe's canvas tote has also been BuzzBallz-ified with navy straps. “BuzzBallz have never just been a cocktail; they're a whole vibe and the unofficial accessory of every night-out storyline,” said Jess Scheerhorn, vice president at BuzzBallz. “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 United States, began appearing on UK shelves around June 2022 but only really took off among Gen Z drinkers last year. The brand has surged in popularity despite broader concerns about drinking among younger consumers. Research published earlier this year suggested that Gen Z views Dry January as outdated, with about 20 percent reportedly giving up drinking for good.

The launch comes as BuzzBallz has enjoyed growing success this year, becoming the preferred cocktail among Gen Z drinkers. However, the drinks’ potency—ABV at least 13 percent—has drawn warnings from some observers that a small sip can be enough to feel tipsy. The brand’s origin story centers on Merrilee Kick, a Texas schoolteacher who, while grading papers by the pool, longed for a cocktail she could sip from a plastic container. Inspired by the spherical shape of a snow globe and a can of tennis balls, Kick developed BuzzBallz after earning an MBA and taking out a loan to launch the company, with family members helping to get the business off the ground. Today, BuzzBallz reports millions of units sold across the United States and internationally. The cocktails are made with real fruit juice or cream and premium spirits, and are packaged in 100 percent recyclable material.