Wealthy Russian women are filming themselves taking a pair of scissors to their expensive Chanel handbags in protest at being barred from new purchases by their favourite brand.
They voice no concern for the thousands of dead and wounded Ukrainians - or Russian troops - in the war which led to the sanctions, only for their own fashion traumas triggered by Putin’s invasion.
The French luxury seller not only pulled out of Russia, but also banned sales to Vladimir Putin’s wealthy compatriots when they fly on shopping trips around the world.
Now they are furiously hitting back at what they see as ‘Russophobia’ in banning them from buying Chanel.
TV presenter, PR agent and actress Marina Ermoshkina, 28, expressed outrage to her 299,999 followers that in foreign Chanel stories Russian women are asked to sign a pledge they will not wear or display the brand in Russia.
“Not a single item or brand is worth my love for my motherland and my self-respect,” she said, cutting her accessory bag with industrial scissors.
“I am against Russophobia, and I am against Russophobia-supporting brands.
“If owning Chanel means selling my Motherland, then I don’t need Chanel.”
Demanding other women follow, she posted: “For us Russian women, having Chanel is not significant.
“It was us who were the face of this brand. Since childhood we dreamed about buying this bag.
“But no bag, or anything else, is above my love for my motherland or my self-respect.”
She said: “Chanel is simply an accessory that at some point decided to humiliate my compatriots. And discriminate by nationality. I will not tolerate this.”
DJ Katya Guseva, 39, with 587,000 followers, said: “I am saying ‘No’ to Chanel.
“They are forcing me to sign a humiliating document, forcing me to reject my Motherland in favour of their brand.
“I am against Russophobia and against segregation by nationality. To show you I am serious, I will simply cut up this bag. I don’t need it any more. Bye-bye, Chanel.”
She told her followers: “We Russian women are stunning regardless of having Chanel - we know it, Chanel knows it, the whole world knows it.”
Monaco-based model, businesswoman and influencer Victoria Bonya, 42, with 9 million followers, said in English: “I have to say if Chanel House does not respect its clients, [why] do we have to respect Chanel? Bye bye.”
She had “never seen any brand acting so disrespectful towards their clients.”
They were supported by Russian expat travel blogger with 239,999 followers, Sharli Prokopif ,who said: “I am Russian, living in Europe - and I refuse to wear Chanel.
Comments expressed rage against the women and their “flashmob” #ByeByeChanel.
One asked: “Why don’t they worry about the Ukrainian deaths Putin has caused? And the Russian soldiers being sent to their slaughter like cannon fodder? Instead they do this childish stunt with scissors.”
Another said: “If I was in charge of Chanel I would have quietly celebrated such clients leaving.”
One more complained: “Why don’t they start a challenge on selling their Chanel accessories in favour of children and refugees, or whichever is closest to their heart?”
A further comment: “Ridiculous. Sell the bags and share the money, they are worth so much… why hype like this.”
One more: “These babes are hyping by cutting up their Chanel bags as a way to protest against the brand’s idiotic policy. It is frankly as silly as it was to ask them to sign some paperwork in Dubai… it looks like a well-organised, staged action.”
The video protest comes after major Russian socialites earlier this week highlighted the Dubai ban on selling their favourite brands.
Russian interior designer and influencer Liza Litvin told how she was refused a Chanel bag in a top Dubai mall.
“They asked for my ID details and I gave my Russian phone number," she said online.
“Next, the manager said that starting from today they were selling to Russians only if they sign an agreement not to wear their items in Russia.”
Singer and leading TV fashion show presenter Anna Kalashnikova, 37, explained how a manager at another Dubai store told her: “We know you are a Russian celebrity.
"We know you’ll be taking purchases to Russia, so we can’t sell our brand’s items.”
Anna said: “Next I remembered Coco Chanel was not only mistress of a Nazi officer, but an agent of German intelligence.
“So this action of her brand really makes me remember her biography. It's so low to support fascism and Russophobia.”
Influencer Yana Rudkovskaya, 47, a Moscow-based music show producer, wife of Olympic figure skating champion Alexander Plyushenko, was horrified - but did not blame Putin for being deprived of her favourite brand.
She had spent more than one million euro at Chanel over the years so found the ban “somewhat humiliating”.
Chanel’s French HQ confirmed the new policy, and said it was forced to apply this because of EU and Swiss sanctions on luxury items.
“The latest sanctions restrictions of the European Union and Switzerland prohibit ‘the sale, directly or indirectly, of luxury items to any natural, legal person or entity in the Russian Federation or for use in the Russian Federation”, said a statement.
The company said: “We understand that these measures, aimed at complying with the requirements of the law, may create certain inconveniences for some customers.
“We are currently working to improve the procedure and apologise for any related misunderstandings and inconveniences.”
