iPhone Pocket: Apple and ISSEY MIYAKE's $230 'Cut-Up Sock' Design sparks debate online

ISSEY MIYAKE and Apple have introduced the iPhone Pocket, a new accessory inspired by the concept of “a piece of cloth.” This singular, 3D-knitted construction is designed to accommodate any iPhone, as well as other pocketable items.

Starting Friday, November 14, the iPhone Pocket will be available for purchase at select Apple Store locations and online at apple.com in the following regions: the U.S., the UK, France, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Greater China.

The iPhone Pocket, inspired by the original pleats of ISSEY MIYAKE, features a ribbed open structure. Conceived as an extra pocket, its simple design fully encases the iPhone while expanding to hold a user’s additional daily essentials. The open textile subtly reveals its contents when stretched, offering a glimpse of the iPhone display.

Versatile in wear, the iPhone Pocket can be carried by hand, attached to a bag, or worn on the body. It comes in a fun range of colors, with eight options available for the short strap design and three for the long strap design.

The pocket, which corresponds to a sock, comes in a combination of colors and two sizes: short or long. The $230 long pocket can be worn like a crossbody, and the $150 short pocket can be worn on your wrist or can be hooked to a bag, as Apple revealed in photos.

However, many users mocked the high prices online, calling it a waste of money; others also made fun of its impressive resemblance to a piece of everyday knitted footwear, with one X user calling it “$230 for a cut-up sock.”

Popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee described it as a “litmus test” to distinguish fans who “buy or defend anything Apple releases.”

The announcement sparked significant backlash on social media, with many critics suggesting it highlighted the willingness of Apple fans to “pay for anything.”

The bag’s design, specifically its open top and “sock-like structure,” also drew criticism. One X user questioned its practicality, stating, “No zip, no structure, and considering how many thefts of iPhones there are these days… no security?”

Furthermore, some users posted satirical images of Sacha Baron Cohen’s fictional character Borat, noting the product’s humorous resemblance to his signature bright green mankini.

Contrarily, others defended the product, attributing the high price to the collaboration with Issey Miyake and calling the design “a nod to the history of Apple.”