Meanwhile they’ve been practising racism blatantly in every aspect of their business.
Last week, Blackout Tuesday occurred; if you’re not aware of what Black Tuesday is; this was initially a music industry day of solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement which turned to a social media moment for the wider public.
One by one, designers and fashion labels joined in on the movement
some of which (of course) were Celine, YSL and Ferragamo.
The support they lent, seemed legit but now so many racist brands are being called out for being phoney and jumping on the anti-racist bandwagon for clout and to protect their sales.
What a shame!
Celine
“CELINE STANDS AGAINST ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION, OPPRESSION AND RACISM.
TOMORROW’S WORLD WILL NOT EXIST WITHOUT EQUALITY FOR ALL”
Celine wrote in a statement on Instagram, adding the hashtag after
#BlackLivesMatter.
Saint Laurent/YSL
Saint Laurent shared three posts with the same caption,
“DISCRIMINATION HAS NO JUSTIFICATION, WE BELIEVE IN RESPECT
#blacklivesmatter.”
It did not take long for celebrity stylist Jason Bolden to come for these pretentious brands and he did so by responding under their posts with a major call-out.
Following the murder of George Floyd, no black person is smiling when it comes to ensuring our voices are heard and we are handed our rights
“Wait really, u (SIC) guys don’t dress any black celebs unless they have a white stylist. FACTS.”
Diet Prada, the fashion watchdogs were quick to repost the exchange.
Being their usual extra selves, DP went ahead to break down the percentages of black models that have walked in the brand’s shows six shows since Hedi Slimane became the French fashion house’s creative, artistic and image director in 2018.
Salvatore Ferragamo
Italian fashion brand Salvatore Ferragamo also came under fire.
After posting a black square with the #BlackoutTuesday hashtag on their Instagram page;
they went on the subliminal pathway of ‘All Lives Matter’ still adding white people into the black struggle and the message black people have been tirelessly trying to pass across.
They did this by posting an image of hands and a quote from Nelson Mandela in its caption.
“Reaching for a more egalitarian future. Racism must end now. #BlackLivesMatter,” read the statement that followed.
Actor Tommy Dorfman responded by reposting the image on Dorfman’s IG story which, as usual, Diet Prada was quick to capture.
“I heard directly from their creative director (Pau Andrew) that they asked if, in photoshop, they could make a black model white”
The actor detailed numerous instances of alleged discrimination while working with the brand to cast models for and photograph its Viva shoe campaign for spring ’20, which featured actresses Kiersey Clemons, Camila Mendes, Paloma Elsesser and Olivia Sui.
When reached, Ferragamo had no comment.