San Francisco’s local fashion scene is buzzing after Baggu, a cult-favorite brand, launched a custom line of hats and water bottles emblazoned with what resembles the iconic BART logo.
The drop coincided with the opening of Baggu’s new store at 888 Valencia St., driving significant interest and excitement among locals.
However, an unexpected twist emerged when BART officials revealed they had no prior knowledge of the merchandise or any partnership with Baggu.
Alicia Trost, BART’s communications director, expressed surprise at the brand’s use of their logo, stating, “It is not a partnership, and we are surprised to see our logo. We don’t blame them for wanting to associate with our awesome brand, and we are thrilled they love us this much. But it would be nice if they reached out to us and perhaps share some of the profit, since we are in a financial crisis.”
The financial struggles of Bay Area transit agencies like BART have been a pressing issue since the pandemic drastically reduced ridership.
State officials are working on a potential loan that could reach hundreds of millions of dollars to support BART and other transit agencies that are facing insolvency.
Despite having a trademark on its “BA” logo, Trost was non-committal on whether BART would pursue legal action against Baggu.
When Baggu unveiled the designs, the social media response was overwhelmingly positive, with thousands of likes and comments hailing the merchandise as “absolute fire” and the “collab of the year.”
To incentivize store visits, Baggu announced that customers spending over $50 on opening day could choose a free item from the collection.
A Baggu representative later indicated that they were in discussions with BART about a possible official collaboration.
From early morning, customers began lining up for the store’s opening scheduled for 11 a.m. By 10:30, the line had wrapped around the block, extending down 20th Street nearly to Guerrero.
However, many in line were shocked to discover the non-consensual nature of the collaboration.
Sarah Kaminker, who was purchasing items on behalf of her daughter, voiced her displeasure: “It really pisses me off. It’s just rude that Baggu will get a lot of publicity, but BART won’t get any benefits.”
Laura Bargus, who took a day off work to visit from Sacramento, echoed this sentiment, stating, “It would have been nice if they had at least reached out.”
Aaliyah D. and Gabriela N., both in their late 20s, expressed their disappointment over Baggu’s approach to using the logo.
Aaliyah remarked, “It doesn’t feel great to support that. It’s completely BART’s logo — and Baggu made it seem like a genuine collab. So it feels kind of weird.”
Some in line considered opting for non-BART-related items instead, like a sticker reading, “I’d rather be at the SF Baggu store.”
Sam Myers, who proudly claims to be a Baggu superfan with a vast collection of their products, shared a mixed perspective.
While he saw the financial benefit for BART, he also mentioned his own inspirations for creating Muni-themed clothing.
His response reflected a more nuanced view: “It would be nice if BART got money from this, but on the flip side, I’m not giving Muni money. Though I am thinking about doing a collection where I raise some money for them.”
Comment sections on social media revealed frustrations among users. One Reddit commenter voiced strong sentiments saying, “I hope BART sues them,” while another Instagram user commented, “Wild to steal the logo of an underfunded public transit system.”
Despite the growing criticism, Stephen Shanahan, Baggu’s director of retail, noted he had yet to hear about the controversy or the agency’s response.
Shanahan expressed disappointment over BART’s reaction, stating, “It was with love and admiration that we referenced BART.”
As the opening continued, customers remained eager to snag the merchandise, despite the revelation of its unofficial status.
Madison Smith, an employee nearby, acknowledged her conflicted feelings, saying, “I don’t love that Baggu did this unofficially, but I’m still going to get a water bottle.”
As the event unfolded, it became clear that while Baggu has generated buzz around its new offerings, the implications of its approach to branding and collaboration left many consumers contemplating the ethics of supporting such merchandise.
image source from：sfstandard
