Gucci又惹出大麻烦了,新毛衣涉嫌种族歧视
MILAN — Luxury fashion is all about breaking codes, creating a new, irresistible message that captivates consumers. But some of the globe’s top brands have raised eyebrows with designs that have seemingly racist undertones. The latest instance of that was Italian fashion designer Gucci, which produced a black wool balaclava sweater with an oversized collar that pulls over the chin and nose. It includes a slit where the mouth is, ringed with what look like giant red lips. Its similarity to blackface prompted an instant backlash from the public and forced the company to apologize publicly. Gucci also withdrew the offending garment from sale on websites and stores. It said the incident would be “a powerful learning moment for the Gucci team and beyond.” But the question persists: How can fashion houses that thrive on detail miss such critical social cues? “Luxury brands used to be able to get away with provocative and eccentric ads that push the boundaries of our society and culture in the name of being creative and cutting edge,” said Qing Wang, a professor of marketing at Warwick Business School. “However, a long list of recent incidents have caused public outrage, suggesting that era is now gone or that luxury brands have lost touch with public sentiment. What used to be considered “creativity” has now turned into “bad taste” or even “racist,” he said. He cited other fashion fails that evoked stereotypes, including Dolce & Gabbana’s “slave sandal” in its spring/summer 2016 collection and a recent Burberry campaign for the Chinese New Year that was compared to Asian horror films. While many of these incidents have caused immediate social media backlashes, the longer-term impact will take time to measure, and will depend on the brands’ reaction and future sensitivity. |