The fashion world is ever-changing, and the need to be at the top is real. From making sure their brands are always trending to staying at the top of their game, in this journey to the top, many brands have lost sight of morals and values. 2018, especially has shown us some extremely shocking moments of racism, cultural appropriation and body shaming. Keep scrolling to see the moments that shocked us.
1. Dolce & Gabbana’s China Fashion Showcase
Following a controversial advertisement on Dolce & Gabbana‘s social media accounts as well as its Weibo account in China, media professionals, celebrities and influencers boycotted the show on the grounds of racism. So much so that more than 120 million people posted their dismay using the hashtag #BoycottDolce and the show was called off hours before it was scheduled to begin.
2. Sabyasachi’s Saree Controversy
The ace bridal designer was invited to attend a talk at the Harvard India Conference, where he made a comment which invited negative attention across social media. Here’s what he said:
I think, if you tell me that you do not know how to wear a saree, I would say shame on you. It’s a part of your culture, (you) need stand up for it.
Many social media personalities and influencers including Masaba Gupta called him out for this statement. But he soon took to Instagram and apologised for his statement. He said…
What was intended to be a comment on celebration of our clothing history and heritage became a debate on feminism. This is not a gender issue. Since the question was about the saree, women were involved. I would take the same stand on men’s national clothing too. I have not made any statement on a woman’s choice on what she wishes to wear which is always her own prerogative.
3. Louis Vuitton Dupes
In January on 2018, all eyes were on the Oberoi Hotel in Nariman Point, Mumbai as the store got busted for selling fake Louis Vuitton merchandise. After duped customers complained about their products, the police got involved and raided the store, confiscating a total of 62 bags that cost approximately ₹4,47,000.
4. The Dior-People Tree Controversy
ELLE India‘s January cover faced a lot of heat. The first issue of the year had Sonam Kapoor Ahuja on it wearing a Dior dress that brought the plagiarism to the limelight. Soon we got to know that the print used on that dress was actually owned by an Indian homegrown brand called People Tree.
5. The Gucci Fall 2018 RTW Showcase
Punjabis and Sikhs all over the world were enraged after Gucci‘s Fall 2018 Ready-To-Wear showcase. The show had models wearing turbans as an accessory and was called out for their clear cultural appropriation.
6. H&M‘s Racist Kidswear Advertisement
H&M put out an advertisement earlier this year that showcased both an African-American child as well as an American kid. The African American kid was wearing a sweatshirt that said “Coolest Monkey In The Jungle”, whereas the American kid’s sweatshirt said “Mangrove Jungle Survival Expert”. All of Twitter and Instagram lost its cool, and The Weeknd also tweeted publicly and made a promise to never work with the brand again.
7. Victoria’s Secret Transgender Model Comment
In a day and age where lines of gender are blurring across industries, it came as a shock to us when we saw CMO of Limited Brands Ed Razek‘s comment on transgender models being in Victoria’s Secret fashion show. Here’s what he had to say,
“It’s like, why doesn’t your show do this? Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is.”
He later apologised for his comment but that didn’t do much as many of Victoria’s Secret‘s avid followers were already quite ticked off.
These were some of the most scandalous moments of 2018 in the fashion industry. Do you know of any other instances that happened this year? Do let us know in the comments below!
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