Perspective | Seriously, Prada, what were you thinking?: Why the fashion industry keeps bumbling into racist imagery

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The Italian fashion house filled its Soho windows tchotchkes evoking Sambo. It has apologized -- but how did this even happen?

 

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Not everything has to revolve around the US and our history.

It's kind of like only white people work for these companies!

What the hell is it?

Ugly and offensive; not necessarily in that order.

CLUELESS. DELIBERATELY SO.

Who Us'un?

Shameful. And to think their designers sat around a table for hours creating this crap. Intentionally creating this crap. Another example of the blatant tone deafness of the privileged.

The ignorant comments on this thread are glaring examples of white privilege & how far we still have to go as a society. Ppl who know the history of blackface & other racist symbols & constructs immediately see how offensive & disturbing the Prada campaign is. EndRacism

What's w/those fun-loving Italians? They feel compelled 2 run bigoted ads - their insensitivity to Asians, blacks, LGBT = our Deep South. And when they apologize, it's only 2 their own group for having 2 kill their 'hard work. ' They did side w/Hitler. Abercrombie = no better

Reporters are the biggest racist. They call black people african Americans. Why don’t they just say Americans

I hate the white one and I’m white

If I were coloured I’d want one fast luv it

I would think there are no people of color working in the upper management when this conceived & approved. But it's not exclusive to Prada.

This is so ridiculous. It had nothing to do with racism. The problem with accusations of racism is that the people playing the victim are ALWAYS looking for issues that don’t exist until they create them. I am in a hate group but don’t create issues

WHAT were they THINKING? What & How they think of us as a People🤷🏽‍♀️ Now, watch & wait for their FAKE apology, but DAMAGE is already done! ✅TotallyNotAccepted💯 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽

WHAT, were they thinking? What & How TheyTHINK of us as a People! Now watch & wait for their FAKE apology, but damage is already done! TotallyNotAccepted🤷🏽‍♀️

Sadly , When a human isn't freeborn , he wants to enslave others

The Italian fashion houses show their RACIST streaks! SHAME!

This is only racist if your immediate thought was a black person. It wasn't mine? Why was it yours?

AfricanaUPenn

Golliwogs - tres chic!

? Is the REAL HISTORY of America /Europe taught n school or IGNORED. Slavery/colonialism occurred. Seems to be a CONTINUATION of an old/troubled past ...and/or the current status quo is encouraging more of the same! There were WARS about these issues. .the civil war and WW2!

You know who sees this as racist...same people who only run into black people at their charities

😡🤮🤬🤭

These white colonialists don't surprise me anymore..

Prada thinks that all the walking wounded are now gone, and assume you have no wounds. But no matter how much the wounds heal, there's always someone with a sharp fingernail to open it up again. And so it goes, on and on and on...

Getting offended is a choice. Always has been.

Ever see Curious George? I mean really. They are about shiny pretty things, not knit stockings. It’s a damn monkey, NOT black face. 🤦‍♂️ Freaking jewelry accessory. Nothing more. You liberals might as well come out and accuse snow of being racist! After all, it’s white. 🙄

It's only racist if your first instinct when you see a monkey is to automatically think of a black person. Seems like most of the people that are complaining about this have that problem.

One would think that, in 2018, avoiding even unintentional racism would be a no-brainer.

Prada is just being AMERICAN/EUROPEAN!! Do you know the history of this country and Europe? Have you heard of slavery/colonialism? WELL...stuff doesn’t change quickly. This PRADA stuff has been going on for CENTURIES!!

Because those of us who are rational don’t respond to such

They look like sock monkeys to me. This is PC making a huge mountain out of an imaginary molehill. Just like being, 'spooked'. I never associated that word with racism. It was a reference to being scared by ghosts. I'm pretty liberal but, this stuff is counterproductive.

Let's see what's racist about couture brands burning their excess inventory and refusing to donate it to people who need clothes! Burberry.

this is what you call ignorance and priviledge..they believe that they are untouchables since they are ultra rich..

The fashion industry is racist by design, but not just 'race,' but for perfect bodies, and of course, want only certain people to wear or use their shallow shit.

Beyond ugly sorry

You're racist. This is art celebrating African culture, I've seen similar art made by African artists.

Why does every damned thing gotta be racist tho? This is just stupid!

If this stuff matters to you, you need to rethink what you give a flying leap about.

When did we morph into a society of offensiveness? Really, no matter what you say or do, you're bound to offend someone. I miss the days where a passing smile to a stranger on a busy street was just that: a SMILE.

Not a Prada buyer. However, does the color alone on these hideous looking purse charms cause racist bells? If they were any other color, like white or grey, would it still be racist?

Probably no one views it as racist because normal people don’t constantly look for racism. People who look for racism are just as bad.

Can't be anymore disgusting! Disappointed with Prada

we were thinking this was a free country

sikk jackasses!

Outrage PR is still PR. They don't give a shit as long as people are mentioning them.

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