A Doylestown business owner shared her thoughts to The New York Times on the lofty price of a popular influencer’s tote bag.  

Content creator Emily Mariko skyrocketed to TikTok fame in 2021 over a video of her making a salmon bowl. Since then, she’s amassed millions of followers who watch her mostly non-verbal cooking videos, writes Madison Malone Kirchner for The New York Times. 

Mariko has since launched an online shop, which has drawn criticism for selling $120 tote bags. Laura Rubin, however, says it makes sense for Mariko’s brand. 

Rubin pointed out that Mariko often interacts with expensive items in her videos, even documenting luxury trips and her high-end wedding.  

“I think it would have been off-brand for her to create something that was less than $100,” she said. 

Read more about the Emily Mariko tote bag controversy in The New York Times.  

Emily Mariko’s tote bags featured in farmer’s market haul