Valentino’s kimono-belt ‘trampling’ ad campaign featuring Japanese model Koki causes uproar online
- A quick apology from the Italian fashion house did little to lessen outrage amid claims it had ‘trampled on’ Japanese culture
- The incident recalls a 2018 ad campaign from Dolce & Gabbana that prompted accusations of racism against Chinese people
Photos for Valentino showing Japanese model Koki walking in high heels on a traditional obi kimono belt, and wearing shoes inside, have whipped up a storm of social media criticism amid accusations the luxury Italian fashion house was “trampling on” Japanese culture.
The images, part of a promotional shoot for the Milan-headquartered company’s Japan spring/summer 2021 collection ‘Valentino Collezione Milano for Women’, show Koki sitting on an obi, which is traditionally made of the same material as a kimono and worn as a broad sash around the waist.
Other pictures show Koki, famous both as a model and for being the daughter of former boy band heartthrob Takuya Kimura of SMAP, walking on the obi in high-heel shoes and wearing shoes inside a home - a major faux pas in Japanese culture.
Social media erupted in outrage in response to the campaign, with one Twitter user declaring that seeing an obi being trodden on for a photo shoot “seems to burn in many ways”.
“This is not limited to Japan, but you should not trample on or handle traditional items of clothing roughly,” the person said in a tweet translated by SoraNews24.
“This makes me feel as if Japanese culture is being trampled on,” another irate commenter added, while a third said: “It’s like walking on a Valentino dress with shoes on. How would they feel about that?”, according to SoraNews24.
Valentino was quick to respond to the criticism, immediately withdrawing the photos and video from their official website and social media accounts.