NextSharkNextShark.com
Latest Newsletter🍵 Ming-Na Wen honoredRead

Article

‘Asian face’: Gucci draws flak in China for model’s ‘small eyes,’ makeup

    Asian America Daily - in under 5 minutes

    Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories, to your inbox daily, for free!

    Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive

    Gucci has become the latest company to come under fire in China for having a model that allegedly perpetuates “Western stereotypes” about Chinese people.

    Driving the news: In ads for its new series of bamboo top handle bags, Gucci allegedly featured a female model with “slanted eyes,” a nose ring and a leather whip in her hand. Critics reportedly found the ads offensive, arguing that they serve the Western idea of how Chinese people look.

    • Gucci posted the model’s photos on Weibo on Dec. 10, but they were gone as of Wednesday, according to Global Times.
    • The state-run media said the brand retracted photos of the bags on Weibo, but the model’s images remained on Twitter.
    • Critics have claimed Gucci’s actions were “clearly a manifestation of a guilty conscience.”
    • While some took a jab on the brand’s supposedly Western view of Chinese people, others simply found the model’s makeup and accessories “morbid.”

    The big picture: Chinese social media users have taken offense at the allegedly negative portrayals of Chinese people of several major companies lately, including two other brands in just the last week.

    • Three Squirrels, a local snack brand, faced backlash last week over a resurfaced 2019 ad that featured a model with “slanted eyes.” While the company was forced to apologize, the model in question fired back at critics.
    • This week, Mercedes-Benz was also criticized for likewise using a model with “slanted eyes.” The automaker has since deleted the ad under scrutiny.
    • Dior faced similar backlash in November for featuring an “uglified” model. Other fashion brands that have faced scrutiny in China include Dolce & Gabbana, H&M, Nike and Zara.

    Featured Image via Gucci (left, right)

    Support our Journalism with a Contribution

    Many people might not know this, but despite our large and loyal following which we are immensely grateful for, NextShark is still a small bootstrapped startup that runs on no outside funding or loans.

    Everything you see today is built on the backs of warriors who have sacrificed opportunities to help give Asians all over the world a bigger voice.

    However, we still face many trials and tribulations in our industry, from figuring out the most sustainable business model for independent media companies to facing the current COVID-19 pandemic decimating advertising revenues across the board.

    We hope you consider making a contribution so we can continue to provide you with quality content that informs, educates and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way.  Thank you for everyone's support. We love you all and can't appreciate you guys enough.

    Support NextShark

    Mastercard, Visa, Amex, Discover, Paypal