With social media being a large part of their lives, more and more teenagers today are buying branded items after seeing their celebrity idols promoting these products.

Is this appropriate?

Take the Korean wave for example. At the young age of 17, K-pop girl group NewJeans member Danielle became an ambassador for British luxury brand Burberry.

Teens may view owning the same luxury products as a way to feel a connection with their beloved idols, especially those who are close to their own age.

The problem is, once they start buying branded items, they are likely to want to buy more.

The reasons for this include the serotonin rush from being complimented by others, and the happiness that comes with possessing a high-end product. It can be difficult for the purchases to stop at just one product.

And when one teen buys a luxury product and posts about it on social media, peer pressure comes into play.

In a survey done in South Korea, 28 per cent of adolescents said that the main reason they bought luxury products was because of a “fear of falling behind a trend”.

The desire to own luxury products may cause unhealthy spending habits in the young.

Hence, I implore parents to keep an eye on their children’s spending habits, and teach them to differentiate between needs and wants.

Mirabelle Phua Jing Ni, 16
Secondary 4