Writing for Grub Street, Tammie Teclamarian has declared that Le Creuset has gone from being useful to tacky and is, in a word, "cheugy". First things first - a definition: Cheugy is an American neologism coined in 2013 as a pejorative description of lifestyle trends associated with the early 2010s. This aesthetic has been described as "the opposite of trendy" or "trying too hard".

Basing her argument on a handful of influencer posts, Teclamarian posits that since there are people who buy LC just for clout, the entire brand is now tainted. She says that "Le Creuset’s buy-it-for-life status has softened" because collectors view their LC pieces as "little more than very heavy Labubus." There probably are collectors out there who do not value their LC and only purchased it so others will acknowledge their superior taste. What I disagree with is that this kind of ostentatious display reduces the value of what remains a quality product.

Teclamarian notes that Le Creuset has expanded its product line in recent years to include limited edition colors and collaborations with various partners, the most recent being a series of "Wicked"-themed pans. Is this Le Creuset selling out, or is it merely a growth avenue for a company that produces a product that lasts for decades? Teclamarian seems to believe the former, saying that "any growth is coming at the expense of Le Creuset’s reputation."

If LC's enameled cookware chipped, rusted, and flaked within a year as do many of its low-priced competitors' products, I might agree. However, there is no indication that LC is producing themed pans at the expense of a quality product. No one is throwing away a $400 Dutch oven because they no longer like the color, although they might give it to a friend or a thrift store (I wish someone was doing that around here).

Judging from the comments, no one is buying Teclamarian's argument. Almost every commenter said that the only reason to call Le Creuset "cheugy" was to induce a flurry of angry clicks. Which worked, I suppose, because I clicked on it, although out of curiosity rather than anger. I wonder if Teclamarian herself really believes what she wrote or if it was just for the clicks (which would be the height of irony).

Too much is going on for me to care whether someone uses their Le Creuset or just buys it to impress followers. I will continue to use mine regularly, whether it's "cheugy" or not. Oh - by the way, the company recently introduced a new line it is calling 'Modern Heritage' as it celebrates a century of great cooking.