Gucci pulls that blackface sweater following controversy
When will these brands learn?
Gucci has come under fire this week for a polo neck sweater which kind of makes the wearer look like they’re in blackface. Yes, we are also wondering how this continues to happen in 2019.
The garment in question features a turtle-neck style, designed to pull up over your nose and mouth like a balaclava. Clearly, its problematic black colour and red lip outline should have raised a few eyebrows internally, because it obviously seems like a terrible idea. Hindsight, hey.
Balaclava knit top by Gucci. Happy Black History Month y’all. pic.twitter.com/HA7sz7xtOQ
— Rashida (@fuckrashida) 6 February 2019
Unsurprisingly, the jumper’s release has been heavily criticised on Twitter, with users labelling it as a “racist ornament”.
It’s 2019 and your telling me fashion designers don’t know if something looks like a racist ornament?#gucci knew what they were doing.They all do.GET BLACK DESIGNERS WORKING FOR YOU if you can’t recognise things like this. And stop apologising cause clearly you guys ain’t sorry.
— 2TUN (@2tunn) 7 February 2019
Strangely though, it turns out the piece has been available for over a year, debuting in February 2018 at the brand’s Fall/Winter show. As Diet Prada put it: “Based on vintage DIY knit ski masks, no one clocked them at the time for having any racist connotations…or maybe they went unnoticed among the layers and layers of styling.”
Following the storm, Gucci quickly pulled the jumper from sale, and issued an apology via Twitter which you can read below.
Gucci deeply apologizes for the offense caused by the wool balaclava jumper.
We consider diversity to be a fundamental value to be fully upheld, respected, and at the forefront of every decision we make.
Full statement below. pic.twitter.com/P2iXL9uOhs— gucci (@gucci) 7 February 2019