Dolce and Gabbana had to cancel its Shanghai fashion show after its ‘DG Loves China’ campaign drew wide condemnation from patriotic Chinese.
In 2017, in “D&G Loves China” campaign, it showed fashion models standing next to ordinary Chinese people such as street vendors and garbage collectors. Some of the Chinese citizens were offended because they thought D&G intentionally showed “low class” Chinese people and the unflattering side of the Chinese society in order to undermine china’s rising power image. (The Federalist, November 18), because of this many online users said they would stop buying Dolce & Gabbana’s products in the future, as they did not feel they were being respected.( Jing Daily, April 17).
It was supposed to be the biggest fashion show in Dolce & Gabbana’s 33 years history- a 300 plus look, 140 performer, one-hour ode to China watched by a 1400 strong audience crowded with local celebrities and influencers, because of the campaign controversy (Vogue, November 18). D&G seems to have trouble professing its love for china without causing backlash from some Chinese. (the Federalist, November 18). The campaign video, which was posted on social media platform Weibo by the brand to promote its upcoming runway show in Shanghai,(Jing Daily, November 18 depicts an Asian model in a red sequin D&G dress having trouble eating Italian food like pizza, spaghetti, or a cannoli while using chopsticks.(The Drum, November 18), where the video’s where titled “eating with chopsticks”, with the hashtag DGlovesChina and DGTheGreatshow.(Jing Daily, November 18).
The brand thought that their show will be successful in showing their love for China. Dolce & Gabbana has been slammed for campaign in China with critics calling the luxury brand out for trivialising the country’s centuries-old culture and depicting Chinese women in a racist way.(Jing Daily, November 18). According to Jing Daily, the campaign drew the ire of users on the social media platform, with many calling it stereotypical, racist and disrespectful towards Asian females. .(The Drum, November 18). But many Chinese people thought that the video is neither lovable not humorous, but believed that it is intolerable insult to Chinese culture and Chinese people.( The Federalist, November 18). China’s Communist Youth League said foreign companies must show “some respect to Chinese people” if they want to invest in China. (the Federalist, November 18). The brand had to delete the post within 24 hours but not before the word “Boycott Dolce” started trending more than 18000 times.(The Drum, November 18). The Instagram users have demanded an apology to be issued by D&G in both Mandarin and English. Many users tried to slam the brand by visiting brand’s official Instagram account, which still features the video, and also mentioned that they are not going to attend the fashion show, along with celebrities and models also refused to attend the show, so DG has to cancel the show just few hours before. (The Federalist, November 18). An Instagram user said that it is a terrible ad because the advertisement team did not spent too much time to know and learn the culture. The way the narrator talks and the model in the ad performs make Chinese people really uncomfortable. (The Drum, November 18).
Online comments were brutal and many are not suitable for publications. Some said “Do you know Chinese invented noodles?. Some insulted the Italian food by saying it tastes like s**t. some of the people also said brutal things to the Chinese model, saying doesn’t know how to use the chopsticks properly. (The Federalist, November 18). One of the Weibo user said that its not “DG Loves China”, its DG Loves China RMB”. (Jing Daily, November 18).
According to the report by Chinese media outlet LinkShop in September last year, the Asia Pacific Region made up more than 30% of Dolce & Gabbana’s market share in the fiscal year of 2016. During that period, it’s profit tripled year on year after ramping up efforts in the Greater China region. (Jing Daily, November 18).
- Shawn Lim, 20 November, 2018, The Drum. Dolce & Gabbana slammed once again for its latest ‘DG Loves China’ campaign. https://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/11/20/dolce-gabbana-slammed-once-again-its-latest-dg-loves-china-campaign
- Helen Raleigh, 26 November, 2018, The Federalist. Why China Freaked Out About Dolce & Gabbana’s ‘DG Loves China’ Campaign. https://thefederalist.com/2018/11/26/china-freaked-dolce-gabbanas-dg-loves-china-campaign/
- Vogue, November 21, 2018. Dolce & Gabbana Cancels Its Shanghai Great Show Amid Controversy. https://www.vogue.com/article/dolce-gabbana-cancels-shanghai-great-show
- Yiling Pan, April 25, 2017, jing Daily. Dolce and Gabbana Campaign Sparks Controversy On China’s Social Media.
- Yiling Pan, November 19, 2018, Jing Daily. Is it Racist?: Dolce & Gabbana’s New Ad Campaign Sparks Uproar in China.
