Racist Moments in Fashion
When designers show their ignorance in the industry.
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Claudio Cutugno - Read on for a closer look at designers and brands that have shown their ignorance in the industry. By Dorkys Ramos During Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2015, designer Claudio Cutugno sent his models down the runway with their faces covered in glittery black paint. Naturally, this didn't sit well with the critical eye of the Internet, with detractors calling Cutungo racist for incorporating offensive blackface imagery into his collection. He later responded in a statement by saying his concept was inspired by the works of artist Emilio Isgrò, adding, "I am extremely respectful of the afroamerican culture and extremely sorry for each type episode of racism. Furthermore my inspiration was coming from a completely different idea which has nothing to do with the theme of afroamerican culture." (Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
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A.P.C.'s Jean Touitou - A.P.C. CEO Jean Touitou came under fire this week for using racial slurs like the “N-word" and offensive remarks about the brand's latest collection. When he said that their collaboration with Timberland came about because it's a "strong ghetto signifier," Timberland pulled out from the collaboration and said the comments go against their values. (Photo: Foc Kan/WireImage)
Photo By Foc Kan/WireImage
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Karl Lagerfeld - We want to know what the heck Karl Lagerfeld was thinking when he used model Claudia Schiffer, who is German, for a 2013 ad campaign and made her up in yellow face (for an Asian look) and blackface with a ‘fro. (Photos from left: Victor Boyko/Getty Images, Stern Fotografie Magazine)
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Proenza Schouler - Shockwaves rang out when Proenza Schouler released a video with filmmaker Harmony Korine for Schouler’s Fall 2011 line. The problem with the short was that it featured two women in Native American gear, complete with bows and sacred headdresses, and captured them running around mimicking tribal dances. (Photo: Proenza Schouler via Youtube)
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Jean-Paul Guerlain - The parfumier was sued by three civil rights groups after making insensitive comments about how he worked "harder than a n****r" to make his perfumes. He was fined for his ignorance, but the uproar didn't end after his verdict because he tried to justify his actions by saying that he comes from a generation that used such language. (Photo: REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen/Files)
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