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From Gucci to Prada, fashion mistakes evoke racist imagery

16 Comments
By COLLEEN BARRY

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16 Comments
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I think people have too much time in their hands trying to imagine everything is racists.

Balaclava is racist? No.

Anyways, free publicity for Gucci.

-3 ( +8 / -11 )

Companies need to stop caving to SJWs and other leftist loonies.

-5 ( +8 / -13 )

What the heck Italy. How did anyone in Gucci and Prada think these were a good idea?

3 ( +8 / -5 )

It's blatantly a stupid unattractive design on first sight, then possibly racist after thinking about it for a while. I wonder what kind of person would pay $890 for that piece of garbage. But I have to agree about Italian cultural insensitivity in this regard.

https://www.reddit.com/r/PropagandaPosters/duplicates/7086cl/antiamerican_ww2_propaganda_italy_1944/

https://www.reddit.com/r/PropagandaPosters/comments/5654cf/italian_wwii_propaganda_circa_1942/

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Fashion has always flirted with controversy. From heroin chic, to homeless to this latest bit of stupidity. There is always going to be someone who believes they are a maverick, "edgy" and has their "finger on the pulse". No doubt Gucci etc will have its dubious champions, just for the sake of it.

Companies need to stop caving to SJWs and other leftist loonies.

Could you explain this statement?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

It is a very unattractive design, but a neck that rolls up to cover the lower half of the face on a cold winter's day would seem to be a good idea. And the opening for the mouth allows normal conversation. I wouldn't wear it because 1) it looks ugly and stupid and it's never that cold and 2) there's no way I'm ever going to spend ¥95000 on a jumper. Way too many zeros.

But the problem apparently is not the style or the price but the colour; black means Blackface. OK, I can see why people might object. So don't buy a black one. Does/did the item come in different colours? If not, why not? Would it make a difference if there were no red around the mouth?

If it were way, way cheaper and came in different colours and I lived in Arctic conditions, I might buy one for its practical value, not its aesthetics which frankly are the pits. The style, not the colour.

When I go swimming in summer, I'm dressed head-to-toe in black rash guard. I choose black because it's the most slimming colour and I've never seen full-body rash guards in any colour but black. Does that make me 'black-body'? Am I insulting anyone?

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

 I choose black because it's the most slimming colour and I've never seen full-body rash guards in any colour butblack. Does that make me 'black-body'? Am I insulting anyone?

No, of course not. And neither is your online moniker and avatar. It's all about context and historical precedent.

Gucci's choice of color in this instance was very poor and one wonders if any actual thought went into it.

It's too close to the bone and yes, I can see how it could be seen as offensive.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Its similarity to blackface prompted an instant backlash from the public and forced the company to apologize publicly on Wednesday.

Not the public but a small number of always outraged people on social media.  but that's the way of the world today.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

But the problem apparently is not the style or the price but the colour; black means Blackface.

It's not just the dominantly black color, Cleo. Black can be worn by anyone at any time, although I do tend to be old fashioned enough to think a black Western style wedding dress is a bit weird.

It's the red, oversized lip-like ring around the mouth that was also a primary feature of the garment.

Take a look at some of the old racist caricatures of Africans and African-Americans from the Jim Crow era, and you will almost uniformly see midnight-black or at least dark brown skin with oversized, usually red lips. This stereotype was used not only for blackface itself but, as I said, in cartoons, in comics, and in other visual mediums.

In that instance, the sweater certainly can be seen as following in that line. When put on a white model, it can be seen as evoking the idea of 'blackface,' certainly.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

“the governor of Virginia and his attorney general have been caught up in a scandal over blackface incidents from their college days in the 1980s.”

That’s the real story here. It’s not about Gucci. It’s about those democrats causing all that turmoil in Virginia. KKK yearbook pics, blackface pranks & sexual assaults....... you can’t make this stuff up.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

It's the red, oversized lip-like ring around the mouth that was also a primary feature of the garment.

Take a look at some of the old racist caricatures of Africans and African-Americans from the Jim Crow era, and you will almost uniformly see midnight-black or at least dark brown skin with oversized, usually red lips. This stereotype was used not only for blackface itself but, as I said, in cartoons, in comics, and in other visual mediums.

In that instance, the sweater certainly can be seen as following in that line. When put on a white model, it can be seen as evoking the idea of 'blackface,' certainly.

That red mouth lining also looks like it's from one of those famous sock monkeys - and that in itself has a racist overtone, not because of the stuffed toy made from 'monkey socks' but because old cartoons and comics showed Black people as looking like apes. That's racist!

Besides, wouldn't a ski mask do the trick for facial protection from cold weather?

Take a look at some of the old racist caricatures of Africans and African-Americans from the Jim Crow era, and you will almost uniformly see midnight-black or at least dark brown skin with oversized, usually red lips. This stereotype was used not only for blackface itself but, as I said, in cartoons, in comics, and in other visual mediums.

In that instance, the sweater certainly can be seen as following in that line. When put on a white model, it can be seen as evoking the idea of 'blackface,' certainly.

And the red lip area is much larger and extremely exaggerated in dimension than the white woman's actual lips really are. This is a really ridiculous and just plain tasteless fashion plan to begin with.

*What were these fashion gurus thinking???*

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I'm a bit confused: does this mean anyone wearing a black balaclava is now automatically a racist, to be immediately despised, criticised, fired and demonised?

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

nah Nothing racist about it at all,

people should just ignore racism all together so people who are racist or do things that could be considered racist can live in peace!!!

maybe there should be a law that makes it illegal to be against racism!! :-/

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Oh that’s not racist at alllll.....haha

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

How can companies continue to be so tone deaf? I never buy Gucci and never will.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

How can companies continue to be so tone deaf? I never buy Gucci and never will.

well that’s easy to answer!!!

companies only care about profits.

this to them is just a simple FASHION FAUX PAUS that’s going to generate interest and controversy.

most people are not going to remember it in a few weeks anyway and once they do some damage control it will be as if it never happened.

I personally don’t see the obsession with high priced clothing, I have seen fashion shows where it looked like the models were wearing trash bags but I guess that’s what fashion is to some people.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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