Dior, the world famous luxury fashion house from France has landed in soup over a picture, shot as part of its fashion exhibition in China. The Chinese fashion photographer behind the image has issued an apology for her "ignorance" after a picture she shot for the brand sparked outrage.
Photographer Chen Man's photo showcased a woman who some Chinese netizens suggested, perpetuated western stereotypes of Asian faces.
According to a report published by BBC, Dior has removed the photo which was recently displayed at a Shanghai exhibition. Also the photographer is said to have apologised on Chinese social media platform, Weibo. She wrote, "I blame myself for my immaturity and ignorance (in my past works)."
"Dior, as always, respects the sentiments of the Chinese people... If any errors happen, (Dior) must be open to receiving feedback and correct them in time," the fashion house wrote on its Weibo account on Wednesday evening, adding that the work was an artwork and not a commercial advertisement.
"The photo first went on display on 12 November, but immediately sparked a backlash from some netizens - habitual users of the internet - and then local media outlets," reported BBC.
Interestingly, an editorial by the Beijing Daily described the model in the Dior photo as having a "gloomy face" and "sinister eyes".
"For years, Asian women have always appeared with small eyes and freckles from the Western perspective. The photographer is playing up to the brands, or the aesthetic tastes of the western world," added the editorial.
Chinese social media users echoed this and said Chen's photos were an "insulting" portrayal of what those in the West believed Chinese women looked like, the report said.
"This is how Western people think we look," said one user on Weibo, adding that Chen had played up to this. Many added that they would boycott the luxury brand.
