Gucci has been criticised for selling a headpiece resembling a turban as a backlash grows on social media where users have accused the Italian fashion house of being insensitive towards the Sikh religion.
Many people on social media have accused Gucci of cultural appropriation. The turban was being sold for £790 and has now been taken down. Many people are fed up with the lack of care from the brand after a similar case of lack of cultural education earlier this year.
In February 2018 the Gucci catwalk saw the offensive balaclava walk down the runway. Based off vintage DIY knit ski masks ( apparently) the brand didn't see them as offensive straight away.
Frankly in my opinion this isn't fashion, putting a pair of lips through a balaclava that covers someone face. Wow crazy innovative, over someones natural pair of lips. I just think even if there wasn't huge offensive uproar about the product, that the garment isn't innovative or special. I think its meant to scare and upset people, the saying any attention is good attention comes to mind.
A black turtleneck balaclava with red lips cut out resembling blackface that wasn't out on the runway caught the attention of the public on twitter.
Within hours Gucci realised a statement and removed the knitted sweater from sale and issued an apology.
Blackface in the early 19th Century was a practice in which black people were mocked for the entertainment of white people, promoting negative stereotypes.
White actors, called minstrel performers, adorned their faces with coal-black makeup and outlandishly red lips, as well as wearing woolly wigs.
The first minstrel shows mimicked enslaved Africans on Southern plantations, depicting black people as lazy, ignorant, cowardly or hypersexual, according to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.
How many more times can Gucci make such detrimental mistakes around culture? To be honest I don't think it will ever stop the extremely established brand, but will they lose respect I like to think so. Gucci are you living under a rock? Part of me doesn't believe that such a high end luxury brand wouldn't have a larger understand of what is currently relevant, and that maybe they are doing it for attention?
Clearly Gucci have a lack of cultural knowledge or they are ignorant as hell.
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