Letters | China culture shock for D&G: a cautionary tale for all global brands eyeing Chinese market
- I may have loved Dolce & Gabbana’s designs once, but I love my culture more
- In a globalised luxury market, it’s the companies that navigate cultural nuances effortlessly that will survive
As a 25-year-old graduate student at the Parsons School of Design in New York, needless to say, I love fashion. Growing up in a Chinese immigrant household, I wasn’t exactly encouraged to pursue the arts. “Don’t waste your time with that stuff,” my mother would nag. “Why can’t you pursue medicine or law?”
Looking back, I understand her worries. I’m second-generation American, and she wanted stability for me. But regardless of my family’s views, I was still enamoured with fashion. For me, the industry represented hope – an opportunity to pursue something outside my family’s expectations.
Within hours, international social media blew up with the issue moving from platforms like Instagram and Weibo to mainstream media like E! And CNN. Dolce & Gabbana experienced arguably its worst public relations nightmare ever.
The fashion giant quickly released a statement saying their accounts were hacked, saying they “have nothing but respect for China and the people of China.” Unfortunately for Gabbana, many, including myself, didn’t believe the lukewarm explanation.
Considering the designer has a track record of regularly insulting people via the media, the sloppy apology only confirmed my suspicions of racism.