Italian luxury fashion house Dolce & Gabbana recently showcased their collaborative collection with Kim Kardashian, the “Ciao, Kim” collection at Millian Fashion week. Though it got acclaim from many fashion insiders and celebs, the brand’s problematic past can’t simply be forgotten. Ahead’s a timeline of some of the brand’s most racist, homophobic and problematic moments.

In September 2012, the brand’s Spring 2013 collection features Blackmoor caricature earrings

For the spring 2013 show, they debuted an earring in their collection that caused controversy due to its caricature-like imagery. Later the designers of D & G explained that this was to pay homage to the Blackmoor population, who conquered Sicily in 827 AD.

 

Photo Credit: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

In 2015, the designers behind Dolce & Gabbana spoke out against gay marriage 

Designers  Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were caught reportedly saying, “We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one”, in an interview with Italian publication Panorama. Sparking many to boycott the brand for their homophobic remarking, including legendary singer Elton John. 

In 2016, the brand previewed a sandal of their spring 2016 collection titled “Slave Sandal’’

Once again the brand was caught in scandal due to a questionable addition to their spring collection. This time the brand received backlash due to a sandal they named “slave sandal” on their website. The brand later renamed the shoe on their website as a ” Decorative flat sandal in napa leather with pompoms .”

In March 2018, they were caught making  fun of Selena Gomez calling her “Ugly”

Stefano Gabbana was found to have made a rude remark about actress/singer Selena Gomez on Catwalk Italia’s Instagram page where she was featured. Under the picture of her, the designer left a comment referring to Gomez saying “She’s so ugly”. Making many to accuse the designer of cyberbullying, yet he has never made a formal apology for it.

In April 2018, Stefano Gabbana said he didn’t want D&G to have a Japanese Designer 

In an interview with both designers on the future of D&G, Stefano Gabanna is reported as saying, ““I don’t want a Japanese designer to design for Dolce & Gabbana”. As per usual,  no formal apology was given in regards to this remark.

In November of 2018, D &G released an AD showing a Chinese model eating pasta with chopsticks

This scandal will go down as the brand’s biggest controversy yet . Ahead of runway show in Shanghai, China the brand posted AD’s showing a video of a Chinese model struggling to eat pasta with chopsticks. Many Chinese consumers found this to be derogatory and boycotted the brand. Causing the D& G to cancel the show.

Later in November of 2018, derogatory comments from Stefano Gabbana’s Instagram surfaced

Though the fiasco between Chinese consumers and D & G becomes even worse when disparaging remarks from Stefano Gabbana are uncovered. Made via DM in response to someone calling the designer’s brand out for racism. Gabana responded by saying, “China ignorant dirty smelling mafia”, calling China “a country of sh*t, and making remarks about Chinese people “being racist for eating dog”.

 

 

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