Dolce & Gabbana cancel show amid ‘racist’ row
Stefano Gabbana with models. Italian fashion label Dolce & Gabbana has cancelled a catwalk show in Shanghai following an outcry over an advertising campaign that many Chinese people said was racist.
The controversy began on Monday night when the label posted a video on the social media site Weibo showing a Chinese model attempting to use chopsticks to eat a pizza, a cannoli and spaghetti.
Weibo users accused the label of trivialising the country’s culture and depicting women in a racist way. The video was taken down within 24 hours, but it had already been shared widely on social media, where the hashtag #BoycottDolce began to circulate.
Guests have been informed the show is no longer taking place, and reports are circulating that the label was forced to cancel the event by local authorities.