A Luxury Bag That a Designer Gifted to Jennifer Hudson Ended Up in a Thrift Store — Internet Reacts

Thanks to the influx of Black-owned brands across the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle spaces, everyday people and celebrities are making it a point to buy Black. After all, public support allows these brands to prosper, give back to Black communities, and let Black creatives showcase their talent to the world.

Black luxury has also become a hot topic, which has sprinkled into the shopping space from brands like Brandon Blackwood and Hanifa. As a result, folks take pride in owning stylish pieces that not only boost their wardrobes but show their commitment to supporting Black-owned brands.

So, social media was shocked to learn that a Sonique Saturday luxury bag found in a thrift store had been previously gifted to Jennifer Hudson, according to one TikToker. Here’s the 4-1-1.

They do say thrift stores are known to have hidden gems!

In a May 22, 2023, Instagram and TikTok post, singer-songwriter Crystelle shared a video of her interesting find at a thrift store — Jennifer Hudson’s gifted Sonique Saturday luxury bag. The expertly crafted design flaunts a similar construction to the iconic Birkin bag with a message written that reads “You Fake Like This Birkin.”

While it’s easy for most folks to say that they found an item gifted to a celebrity, Crystelle revealed the ultimate receipt — a special note to the EGOT winner.

“Ms. Jennifer Hudson, What an honor to gift you one of my handbags,” the note reads. “You’ve inspired me just as much as every other Black girl… and for that, I want to personally say thank you.”

The message continued: “I hope you enjoy wearing this as much as I enjoyed making it just for you.”

Since Crystelle shared the video, folks have decided to rip both ladies a new one. In the comments, some folks believe that Crystelle should have never shared the note, and others accuse Jennifer of having no couth.

“She could have at least taken the card out! Damn, J.Hud. That’s a $500 bag. Girl, how much did you pay?” one person commented.

“Anything for a viral moment. You did not have to show the lady’s business info. Just trifling,” another person said.

Folks also took to Jennifer’s Instagram to berate her over the designer bag.

“That’s bold you threw that lady's purse she made for you away. She was honored to make you that bag. I would’ve kept it forever,” one person said.

Social media may be annoyed with Jennifer Hudson, but designer Sonique Saturday has no qualms about the thrifted handbag.

“This was so long ago. I have no idea if she even received the bag,” Sonique told TMZ. “So don’t attack her. We want to be friends with her. We want to build long-lasting relationships.”

Interestingly, Sonique also shared that she knew some of the members of Jennifer’s team back then and that they reached out to her so she could gift the singer the bag.

“Not knowing the whole story, just kind of seeing the video and the headline, of course, people are like ‘Wait a minute. This is a small Black-owned business. There’s no way this is happening to her,’” she said.

However, Sonique did say that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Now that the story about the bag has made its rounds on social media, it can help give other small businesses the visibility needed to reach other high-profile celebrities.

Truth be told, there is a chance Jennifer may not have even received the gift. So, the backlash does seem a bit unnecessary. But we understand folks wanting Black-owned brands to be respected.

JHud has yet to make a statement about the thrifted luxury bag, but there's a chance she'll address things on her self-titled daytime TV show.