'₹32K bag that costs as much as rent': A CEO explains why India’s middle class keeps buying it

In India’s metros, a cabin bag now costs as much as a month’s rent — and millions are lining up to buy it.

A ₹32,000 suitcase — not luxury, not premium — has become the latest status symbol for India’s urban middle class. But one CEO says it’s not about quality. It’s about anxiety. Advertisement

“₹32K = Monthly rent in most Indian metros. For a bag that does what ₹4K does,” wrote Valance Fernandes, a startup executive, in a viral LinkedIn post slamming what he calls “Insecurity Pricing.”

These aren’t Louis Vuitton buyers dropping ₹2 lakh without a thought. Nor are they bargain-hunting pragmatists. They’re middle-class professionals stuck in between — consultants just promoted, startup employees with stock but no liquidity, dual-income couples pulling in ₹20–30 lakh a year.

“They’ve fo