Scarlet Snow Belo's Gucci first video post this June sparked a "discussion" about kids using expensive brands.
Her mom, Dra. Vicki Belo, could be heard asking, "...what's your outfit for today?"
The four-year-old tot answered, "Uhm, Gucci."
Dra. Vicki asked about her bag, which was also a Gucci.
Then the mother-and-daughter tandem did a bag raid, with Scarlet enumerating the items inside her bag.
She said, "I have baby wipes. A brush. Panyo. Two colognes. And I think we're ready to go."
The video post bore this caption: "Mommy’s teaching me to be a big girl na. What’s missing in my bag?"
A follower was quick to point out, "You don't have bottled water. It's a necessity these days coz it's too hot outside you need to stay hydrated..."
Scarlet replied, "ah yes water!!! I’ll make sure I have water all the time! Thank you"
But some netizens didn't find her Gucci post a good idea.
One comment stated, "Teaching a child to show off brands is really not a good idea. She does not even [know] what's gucci and how much it costs..."
The tot's dad, Dr. Hayden Kho Jr., refuted, "Wrong focus. wrong focus. While others focused on the bag raid subject, you got stuck with Gucci..."
Another comment read, "I love Scarlet, but orienting her branded or signatured items at her age, I believe is ridiculous! Sorry but I just wish her to be humble and grounded even though she’s very rich and famous."
Scarlet's Gucci embroidered sequin snake tulle dress is currently sold at PHP26,515 (based on current exchange rate), which is half of its original price. Her GG supreme red bow tote bag costs around PHP20,000.
A lot of Scarlet's followers didn't see anything wrong with the post, saying that her "hard-working parents can afford" buying branded items anyway.
One of them remarked, "As long as they can afford why not! Fyi they are rich, normal na gucci ang bag, eh yung mga middle class nga na iba can afford sila pa kaya? Scarlet is so cute and one of the smartest kid! her parents are humble and hard working people kaya whatever bag she is wearing kahit Hermes pa yan, go let her wear it, she deserves it because her parents are hard working!"
Hayden's long comment elucidated that a brand—expensive or not—should never define a person.
He wrote, "Interesting discussion going on here. Here's what I think: I think it's important that we don't make a big deal about brands. Expensive brands and cheap brands are both impostors of the same kind in the sense that both tries to communicate to others the value of a person wearing it—which is wrong.
"One's identity is NOT anchored on the brand of clothing he/she wears. Meaning, whether you wear an expensive brand or a cheap brand, or you see someone wear expensive brands or cheap brands, drop the attachment to it.
"That says nothing about their true identity and significance. They're both clothes and nothing else."
He underlined that Scarlet's clothes are mostly gifts from friends and fans.
"...to be honest we rarely buy her clothes. She has generous fans on IG who sends her clothes which we then post to thank them. The dress and bag she's wearing here is from her tita @alicegeduardo which we also posted to thank her. Let those who have ears hear."