Ekushey Padak-winning l egendary Bangladeshi rock band Warfaze has announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration with iconic lighter manufacturer Zippo, unveiling two exclusive collectible lighters inspired by the band’s landmark albums.
The announcement, made on Monday through the band’s official platforms, marks what Warfaze described as the first South Asian band collaboration with Zippo, featuring two special edition pieces, the Warfaze Album Zippo and the Pothchola Zippo. Notably, the releases also introduce Bangla engravings on a Zippo lighter for a band for the first time, adding a distinctive cultural dimension to the collectibles.
The Warfaze Album Zippo pays tribute to the band’s influential 1991 self-titled debut, widely regarded as a defining moment in Bangladesh’s rock music evolution. Designed with the album’s iconic artwork on a sleek black matte finish, the piece seeks to capture what the band described as “raw emotion, hunger and the sound that shaped a generation.”
Meanwhile, the Pothchola Zippo reflects a later phase of the band’s journey, commemorating their 2008 album Pothchola. The design highlights the band’s artistic maturity, with themes of reflection, evolution and storytelling embedded into the concept. Like its counterpart, it features Bangla text engraving, positioning it as both a cultural artefact and a collector’s item.
According to product descriptions on Zippo’s official website, both lighters maintain the brand’s signature features, including an all-metal windproof construction, the distinctive ‘click’ and a lifetime guarantee. Each piece is refillable and comes packaged in a gift box, reinforcing its positioning as a premium collectible.
However, despite the historic nature of the collaboration, the launch has sparked significant backlash among fans, particularly over pricing. Social media comment sections on both Warfaze and Zippo’s official posts have seen criticism, with many calling the products inaccessible to a large segment of local fans.
The Warfaze Album Zippo is priced at Tk 6,500, while the Pothchola Zippo is set at Tk 5,500, figures that many commenters argue are steep within the Bangladeshi market context.
While the collaboration underscores Warfaze’s enduring legacy and global appeal, the mixed reception highlights the ongoing tension between premium branding and local fan affordability, a dynamic increasingly visible in cross-market collaborations involving South Asian artists.
