3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
The hottest back-to-school item in Hialeah has teeth, a red tag and could cost $500
It was hard to look left or right at Westland Hialeah Senior High on the first day of school and not see a student with a Sprayground backpack. What's that, you may ask? It's a faux-leather backpack, the signature one with a shark-teeth design on the back.
The coveted accessory has been gaining popularity over the past few years around Hialeah, according to an 11th grader at the school sporting a classic Sprayground with giant sharkteeth and a brown and black checkered background that resembles Louis Vuitton'' classic monogram. The bags come in dozens of designs, ranging from $65 to $500.
'They're cool,' the 11th grader told the Miami Herald.
Addis Perez, 14, had one of the coveted backpacks. She and her whole squad of friends, all originally from Cuba, had the same design.
Sprayground, a streetwear brand known for its art-inspired backpacks and its celebrity collaborations, was created 15 years ago by designer David BenDavid. The brand started off by dropping limited edition backpacks that became coveted collector's items. The collaborations include Nickelodeon favorites like SpongeBob SquarePants and games like Angry Birds. Versions spotted Thursday at Westland Hialeah High included Pink Panther, Snoopy, and all-black. The backpacks also glow in the dark.
The red tags that come with the backpacks, students explained, are prized — and sometimes get swiped. There have been reports on social media of parents trying to superglue the red tags onto the bag in order to avoid them getting stolen.
Although the backpacks are popular among students for their design and for having hidden pockets to hide things they are not allowed in school, adults at the school are not the biggest fans.
'The tags become an issue in school because the kids try to take them from each other,' said Lucy Trillas, the school's principal. 'I hate those tags.'
Some students had multiple red tags hanging from their belt loops.
'It's cultural. They have throwbacks,' said Jazzlyn Diaz, the activities director at Westland Hialeah High. Her own son, a 10th grader, has one of his own.
'It's like this huge deal,' said Diaz.
The Sprayground website says the mission of the brand is to express 'rebellion, individuality and creativity.'
'People just want to wear them because everybody wears them,' admits a student at Westland Hialeah Senior High.
But student Caitlyn Blasco does not see the appeal. 'They look like they don't have enough storage. As someone who takes a lot of AP and Honors, I need more space,' said Blasco.
