Shop Faces Shortage of Sensitivity

From Shop Etc.’s “Hot Shopping,” February:

During a month-long hunt held every fall, Louisiana’s bayous and alligator farms supply about 90% of the world’s alligator skins, which are used by companies including Gucci, Prada and Hermès.  Last year’s hunt, however, was delayed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. 

Countless homes and businesses were destroyed, over a thousand people were killed, and there won’t be any fresh supplies of alligator skins for this season’s expensive designer handbags?  Oh, what a cruel and heartless world we inhabit!

But wait!  There’s a glimmer of hope:

Because tanneries have some skins in stock, shortages may not become apparent for more than a year.

Because nothing will help Louisiana and Mississippi get back to normal like a timely shipment of spring’s finest brand name alligator-skin accessories.

Obviously, the coming shortage has the potential to adversely affect luxury-goods manufacturers.  Still, since this is a fashion magazine and not the Wall Street Journal, we assume Shop is speaking to the people who buy these bags, not the corporations that produce them--which makes their concern over the potential lack of alligator skins appear as misplaced as the “Etc.” in their name.   

We don’t intend to be insensitive. We’re guessing Shop didn’t either.  But that didn’t stop us from thinking that, instead of a new Prada bag, they could use a little perspective.