All across the world, eager consumers are seeing price tags of up to $50,000 for a bag I can buy today for $3 that I will then shove into the remaining empty space in my closet and completely forget about every time I go shopping. Such is the fate of most tote bags. It’s a lonely existence, filled with neglect rather than groceries. So, why all the fuss over something so trivial? How did a store for budget-conscious Americans become a status symbol everywhere else?