Dior Apologizes for Controversy Over Insulting Chinese People

▲Dior cover photo that sparked controversy over discrimination against Chinese people

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] French luxury brand Dior has apologized for a photo that sparked controversy over belittling Chinese people.

According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 24th, Dior apologized through its official Weibo account the day before, stating that it "deleted the photo immediately after criticism arose on the internet."

Dior said, "We highly value public opinion, respect the feelings of Chinese people, and strictly comply with Chinese laws and regulations," adding, "We will also support relevant departments in evaluating all exhibition works."

The controversial photo was exhibited at the 'Ready-to-Dior' exhibition that opened last week in Shanghai.

The photo shows a young East Asian woman with a freckled face and heavy eye makeup, wearing traditional Chinese clothing and holding a Dior bag, staring at the camera with a faint smile and a bizarre gaze.

Once the photo was released, criticism arose online, stating that it "embodied typical Western prejudices against Asians" and that the "messy style belittled the Chinese face."

Chinese media outlets such as Global Times and People’s Daily also joined in the criticism.

As the criticism grew, Dior removed the photo from the exhibition and took it down from the internet.

The photo was taken by Chen Man, a famous Chinese photographer and visual artist.

Chen also apologized for the controversy, saying he was "immature and ignorant."

He said, "I am Chinese, born and raised in China, and I deeply love my homeland," adding, "I will read more about Chinese history and participate in more educational programs."

SCMP reported, "While there was fierce criticism of the photo, some say that the mainstream Chinese aesthetic standards are too narrow."

Previously, in 2018, the Italian luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana faced intense backlash in China.

At that time, Dolce & Gabbana released a promotional video showing a Chinese female model awkwardly eating pizza and spaghetti with chopsticks, which sparked controversy for belittling Chinese culture.

Furthermore, Stefano Gabbana, the company’s designer and co-founder, was alleged to have posted the phrase "China is a sh*tty country" on Instagram shortly after the controversy, worsening the situation.

State-run media also harshly criticized the brand, and the situation did not calm down. SCMP reported that the aftermath still negatively affects the brand in China.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.