Dolce and Gabbana 2013–Racist or Overblown?

October 30, 2012 | Tanisha Shulamit |

Dolce and Gabbana garnered some criticism and public outcry for this beautiful collection. As a black woman I do not find this collection racist, but a celebration of the history of the isle of Sicily and the diversity of beauty.

What people don’t know about Sicily is that it was once an island of diversity. People from North and West Africa once made it their home along with the Spaniards, Greeks, Nords, Normans, and Italians. The island, I once called my home was never racist. In fact it celebrated a particular folklore about the island once being half black.

It is a celebration of medieval times, and let’s be honest this is what Africans looked like then and in some parts of Africa, still do. Sh*t I still wear head wraps, they ARE quite fashionable these days you know?..

This collection is not a collection of insensitive racists or sycophants, but instead a collection of two men very proud of their heritage. Sometimes we need to stop having this knee jerk reaction to everything we deem racist and see it for what it is.. art.

P.S. did you peep the interracial relationship going on with the black woman and soldier? jussayin…

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Follow T. Shulamit @ http://www.lattesandlipstick.com/blog

Karla
I absolutely adored Sicily when I was there about eight years ago. It is, by far, my most favorite part of Italy. That being said, I think some unfortunate PR gaffes have added fuel. See: http://huff.to/TSwhm5 and http://huff.to/WYQWLH. I love the colorful fabrics and get the idea they’re trying to convey but it’s kind of like a Swastika. It is a Sanskrit symbol meaning “to be good” or “being with higher self”; it dates back, at least, 10 thousand years. Yet, in one felled swoop, Hitler made it the most reviled symbol in the modern age. An Indian clothing company used the swastika on the tags and had to recall their products. I think this is how Dolce and Gabbana’s latest creations are being seen as well. It’s really too bad.
blackpanthershay
The fabrics are lovely!!!!
Maxine
I had an Italian-American college friend tell me that Sicilians were “like 1/1000th black.” I think the D & G collection is beautiful and don’t think it’s racist for a non-African company to use African fabrics or faces in their designs at all. People in the arts borrow from everyone and everything.
- zipporah
  @Maxine Siclians are WAAAY MORE than 1/1000 black…they actually look BIRACIAL to me . look how close Africa is. Years ago many ‘one-droppers’ hid behind being italian
Morenika
I agree that this collection is beautiful and tells the moorish history in a sense. I am proud that people of color are not left on the shelfs to hide until we buy them.
Brenda55
OK. First impressions.
I would not be caught dead wearing any of these.
I do not find any of the outfits racist.

You can find every race of human beings depicted on clothing but people get all stupid if a black face shows up.
To the fashion industry. Keep it up its long past time to normalize this.
- thecrazyartist
  @Brenda55
  I agree, every other race and culture is depicted without anyone getting upset, but as soon as something depicting a black person shows up then a firestprm erupts.
  
  I don’t think it is racist at all the images are not offensive and it depicts part of southern europes morrish history. I also think the fabric patterns are stunning and have a nice african/southern european combo. I personally wouldn’t wear them, but I view this as more art.
  - thecrazyartist
    @Brenda55
    *firestorm*
Toni_M
You know now that I look at your post and the pictures it definitely got me thinking as to why people might jump to that conclusion: The black woman who is used is very dark with big lips. This is an image that we African Americans have been taught to consider reviled. And if white racists aren’t doing it, it’s self-hating black people doing it. So the idea that a black woman who is so dark-skinned and so non-Eurocentric could be celebrated in any way wouldn’t make sense.

And I admit I did miss the interracial reference, but now that I notice, it makes the choice that much more interesting.

I can see that the woman is not wearing the “Mammy head wrap” you would expect when a black woman that dark is depicted, but her head is adorned with flowers, which I find very interesting. Flowers in the hair of a woman is generally a symbol of feminine beauty.

Could it be that we expected that the dark-skinned big lipped black woman who doesn’t look remotely European is automatically being reviled because we have been taught that a non-Eurocentric black woman could never be seen as attractive or celebrated?

I admit I side-eyed this collection at first (I didn’t see these images, the ones I saw were different), but the more I think of it after reading this post and reanalyzing things, the less bothered I am. Although, given the fashion industry’s tendency towards questionable treatment of black women, you can’t blame people for immediately thinking the worst.
Toni_M
You know now that I look at your post and the pictures it definitely got me thinking as to why people might jump to that conclusion: The black woman who is used is very dark with big lips. This is an image that we African Americans have been taught to consider reviled. And if white racists aren’t doing it, it’s self-hating black people doing it. So the idea that a black woman who is so dark-skinned and so non-Eurocentric could be celebrated in any way wouldn’t make sense to people who have that ideal firmly planted in their head: That a black woman who is non-Eurocentric looking represented in art must automatically be ugly and a symbol of racism rather than just an image that is beautiful in a different way. Dark skin and big lips doesn’t automatically have to be evil, and it certainly isn’t shameful.

And I admit I did miss the interracial reference, but now that I notice, it makes the choice that much more fascinating.

I can see that the woman is not wearing the “Mammy head wrap” you would expect when a black woman that dark is depicted, but her head is adorned with flowers, which I find very interesting. Flowers in the hair of a woman is generally a symbol of feminine beauty.

Could it be that we expected that the dark-skinned big lipped black woman who doesn’t look remotely European is automatically being reviled because we have been taught that a non-Eurocentric black woman could never be seen as attractive or celebrated?

I admit I side-eyed this collection at first (I didn’t see these images, the ones I saw were different), but the more I think of it after reading this post and reanalyzing things, the less bothered I am. Although, given the fashion industry’s tendency towards questionable treatment of black women, you can’t blame people for immediately thinking the worst.
Patricia Kayden
Is there a link to people calling the designs racist? Those skirts and tops look gorgeous to me. Can imagine they are well out of my price range. LOL.
Shulamit
Yeah, Azelia Banks a pop artist from the U.K. made a big stink: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2221847/Azealia-Banks-boycotts-Dolce-amp-Gabbanas-racist-summer-2013-collection.html
- kisumai
  @Shulamit she is actually American- yeah I got notice of it because of her
- ann4950
  I always thought Sophia Loren looked as if she had an African ancestor.
  - Shulamit
    @ann4950 She’s from Naples, more than likely she is.
- Toni_M
  @Shulamit I originally thought she was British but it turns out she was more known in the UK than stateside.
kisumai
Totally agree with the article. People should do their research instead of automatically calling things racist. What may appear racist in one part of the world may not necessarily have the same meaning or agenda somewhere else.
R. Kamaria
I actually think the collection is neat. Is Gwen Steffani racist too with her homage to the Harajuku Girls in Japan? Give me a break. Now that Spanish magazine with Michelle Obama on the cover as a slave, now that was a bit racist.
- R You Serious
  @R. Kamaria Gwen Stefani appropriating japanese culture and running around with a group of silent paid asian female servants. Yes, that is racist.
  - Shulamit
    @R You Serious @R. Kamaria sorry, no it is not. Why is EVERYTHING racist? god, this is why I don’t like dealing with people. Why can’t art and expression be just that without everyone freaking out. Are the black women painted as slaves? Are the Japanese girls painted as sex slaves? these things are indeed not racist. It is a celebration. Must I only celebrate my culture when I appreciate another?
- Jamila
  @R. Kamaria Many people had a problem with Gwen Stefani using Asian American women as props. The women were not even allowed to speak while with Gwen.
  - Jamila
    @R. Kamaria Oops, I made a mistake. They were only allowed to speak in Japanese.
    
    http://www.racialicious.com/2006/11/30/gwen-stefani-everyone-else-is-racist-not-me/
  - Law Wanxi
    “Many people had a problem with Gwen Stefani using Asian American women as props. ”
    
    That’s true; I know. I was [and still am, Gwen] one of them. Not that I wish her any ill, mind you, but if Gwen ended her days as a meth whore in an alley making her living on her knees, it would put a smile on my lips. Not that I have a strong opinion, mind you.
    
    BTW, I think the girls were not Asian American, but citizens of Japan, imported for the purpose.
    - onthewaydown
      @Law Wanxi Yeah, I was not a fan of Gwen and her “Harajuku girls” either. This collection on the other hand…I don’t mind it at all.
    - MySmile
      @onthewaydown Yeah, I like Gwen Stefani, but I’m still not sure how I feel about that….I always thought that was a little weird…Where is the line between appreciating someone’s culture and exploiting it?
Jamila
A couple of things…

If this collection was a homage to their Sicilian roots, why did they only send white models down the runway? And two, isn’t this the same collection that had the black woman as the heel of a shoe? (I know I remember seeing the image but now I can’t find it, if anyone else can find the image I’m speaking of and let me know which designed that was I would be grateful.)

Now I think it might be harsh and overblown to call this collection racist, but I do think that the designers were very lackadaisical in considering the meaning behind the way that they chose to present these images. For instance, why is it that only black women–never white women–are presented as disembodied or distorted, i.e., lacking a body or with distorted physical features? Why are white women never presented on D&G’s clothing using stereotypical imagery?

Months ago I wrote a post about Swedish artist Linde pretending to be a part of a cake. Then I said: “Look at the video. Look closely and think deeply. What do you see? You see a “cultured” white person from one of the most developed nations in the world, a self-proclaimed anti-racist woman, cutting into the screaming genital region of a black female body. Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth even feeds a piece of the cake to Linde, perhaps for good theatrical measure. The image reminds you of mutilated black bodies hanging from trees after a lynching while “cultured” white people sit on the grass nearby having a picnic with children as if nothing is amiss. The images remind you of the way that Africa was partitioned by European nations at the Berlin Conference with no regard for how the Africans themselves may have felt. And now, here we are in beautiful, cultured Sweden, and white people still see nothing wrong with slicing up an African body for entertainment, pleasure, and, for the most gruesome reason of all, consumption.”

Now here were are at the D&G fashion show and it is still being misunderstood by well-intentioned white people that disembodied imagery is problematic.
- Shulamit
  @Jamila sorry, I still cant go along withit. There is also a disembodied white man too. Also, how is the image of the black woman a caricature when well most black women especially from west Africa look like this? She has no doo rag on or scarf. It is flowers. Secondly, have you ever seen a black model in a Milan show? I never have. D&G was the first to send a black model down the runway years ago. So, like I said, I am tired of us always ASS-uming that people are trying to insult us. Its tiring.
  - MixedUpInVegas
    @Shulamit @Jamila
    Hear, hear, Tanisha! It seems to me that too many people devote too much time sniffing out the slightest element in anything at all that could possibly be, under some circumstances and in the right light, racist. I’m weary of it, and it is wearing down others too. It isn’t a good look for ourselves. We need to give it a rest.
  - Jamila
    @Shulamit “sorry, I still cant go along withit. There is also a disembodied white man too.”
    
    The man was not made into a pair of earrings or a shoe. The man is also shown in what appears to be the clothing of a sailor/military garb. The black woman is dressed as a domestic; a Sicilian domestic, but still, a domestic.
    
    “Also, how is the image of the black woman a caricature when well most black women especially from west Africa look like this?”
    
    Maybe I’m not very well traveled, but from what I’ve seen, most black women [especially from West Africa] don’t look like this. When I see images of West African women of today they are normally wearing Western clothing or traditional African clothing. I get that D&G was trying to capture the image of past times, but they shot and missed with this one.
    
    “D&G was the first to send a black model down the runway years ago.”
    
    That’s nice. It would have been even nicer if they had put a black model in this show, instead of just putting black women on the earrings and dresses.
    - Brenda55
      @Jamila @Shulamit http://www.sinuousmag.com/2012/09/dolce-gabbana-2013-collection/dolce-gabbana-2013-collection-milan-08/
      
      Jamila come on stop. Look at those earrings. Looks like the same get up Carmen Miranda. YOu can’t take this stuff seriously.
    - Brenda55
      @Jamila @Shulamit
      Much of a difference????????
      http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/West_African_Dance_at_the_White_House,_2007Apr25.jpg
    - astringofpearls
      @Brenda55 @Jamila @Shulamit
      
      Those earrings do not look like a slave. I would wear those. She does not even look like a slave. It’s like if the woman is dark skinned she’s automatically a ‘slave.’ Sometimes we put these things on ourselves.
    - kisumai
      @Jamila @Shulamit actually I’m can say a lot of Africans were similar clothing like this….my mum (from time to time) and my grandmas-well particular older generation still do as normal clothing and for special occasions like weddings. Obviously not to the extent as this but African designs are pretty colourful and headscarfs are like a must lol. js
    - Shulamit
      @kisumai @Jamila and I rest my case 🙂
    - Maxine
      @Shulamit @kisumai @Jamila I don’t want us to get to a point where no white or non-black person can ever depict people of color in their art. She isn’t wearing an Aunt Jemimah headscarf and she doesn’t have exaggerated features. I like the earrings too. They’re a nice change from the usual European woman’s face that we always see in cameos like this: http://www.yourdictionary.com/cameo.
- Law Wanxi
  @Jamila
  “If this collection was a homage to their Sicilian roots, why did they only send white models down the runway? ”
  
  Uh, the model in picture number 5 is NOT White; unless you think East Asian is White. Confusing her with a White woman is derogatory and racist, IMO.
  - Jamila
    @Law Wanxi “Uh, the model in picture number 5 is NOT White; unless you think East Asian is White. Confusing her with a White woman is derogatory and racist, IMO.”
    
    The article I read said they were all white: “The Italian fashion house raised some eyebrows when they sent an army of all-white models down the runway donning controversial earrings featuring dark-skinned women wearing burlap dresses and plantation-era cornucopias Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2221847/Azealia-Banks-boycotts-Dolce-amp-Gabbanas-racist-summer-2013-collection.html#ixzz2AqMcAcA7 Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook”
    - astringofpearls
      @Jamila @Law Wanxi @MailOnline
      These dresses are plantation-era? American plantation or.. plantations somewhere else?
    - Jamila
      @astringofpearls @Law Wanxi It’s referring to time period, probably some time in the 1800’s.
      
      I can’t speak on the history of African female style in Italy and what they wore during that time.
    - astringofpearls
      @Jamila @Law Wanxi Oh okay… these outfit don’t look slavish to me.. if you know what I mean. I just think the main thing with me is that when you do fashion like this at least have some ethnic models.. having most of the as white models these types of clothes can look suspect.
    - Shulamit
      @astringofpearls @Jamila @Law Wanxi the actual depictions of the women and soldier are medieval era. but these people obviously don’t know.. sigh..
    - astringofpearls
      @Shulamit @Jamila @Law Wanxi
      I think people are too quick to jump to conclusions.
- onthewaydown
  @Jamila
  
  I am not personally offended by this collection, except for the fact that I do agree that more models of colour should have been hired for this particular fashion show (and the fashion industry in general, but I have such low expectations of that industry that I have pretty much given up on mainstream fashion)…
  
  On the other hand, I definitely feel that you have the right to be offended. I don’t think you are being too sensitive, that you need to lighten up, or that if you think the collection is racist, you are making the rest of us look bad. It’s okay to have a difference of opinion. Just thought I would add this disclaimer…lol.
Brenda55
Look this is not that deep. I would not take this at all seriously. I don’t think the designer do. I am posting a link to google images of this designers stuff.
All of it is whacked and over the top if you ask me.

The joke is on the people getting all bent out of shape about this.

http://www.dolcegabbana.com/dg/collection/woman/
Livefyer did not like the other link so I changed it to this one.
- Brenda55
  I am adding this th actual runway show.
  http://www.dolcegabbana.com/dg/fashion-show/woman/runway-video/
  
  I mean please. lighten up.
astringofpearls
Honestly I don’t think the outfits look good on them at all. The colors are way to rich for their skin tone IMO, except the baby blue one. I would work these outfits and look great. I don’t see why DB did’t have black models for this set of clothing.

I would honestly wear the last two outfit and the first picture of the model walking the other way.
astringofpearls
The Asian model looks right to me actually. Probably I see these outfits would look better on WOC because Asians, Africans, Indians, and Latins always had rich clothing and rich decorations. It’s like they are better pulling them off. I have no idea what people are tripping about these outfits are amazing. I don’t feel insulted whatsoever.

I just wished they used more WOC.
- LionMama
  @astringofpearls Actually, not every culture had colourful clothing and not every white culture had lack of colours on their clothing.
  - astringofpearls
    @LionMama Well I’m used to seeing WOC color in rich colors patterns and prints. I have actually never seen white women in prints like this or similar to it. Unless we are talking about a few hundred years back. I know some cultures probably don’t wear as much color… I just haven’t seen WW in colors or patterns like this before.
Brenda55
You know what. Black women run around with every other race of women’s hair sewn on her head and then going to cop a ‘tude about a dang image on a stinking dress. Deep.
- Shulamit
  @Brenda55 bwahahaha. i say this all the time!
- Karla
  @Brenda55 Cosign. Hard.
- SisterRainbow
  @Brenda55 That’s because we have our priorities straight, don’t you know. Hahaha!
kisumai
http://thestunningbarbies.tumblr.com/
- astringofpearls
  @kisumai This is you’re tumblr? It’s amazing!
- Jamila
  @kisumai Your site is so beautiful!
Law Wanxi
OT Alert.

“The island, I once called my home was never racist. ”

Sigonella? How come you and @Karla get to go to Sigonella and the ONLY foreign duty station I ever had in six years of active duty was in Iraq? #JustNotFair
- Shulamit
  @Law Wanxi @Karla (giggle)
- Karla
  @Law Wanxi LOL! Just gotta know how to hammer, er, I mean negotiate with your detailer.
Shulamit
btw, the soldier pic IS on the shoe. look at the pic above 😉
KingsDaughter
Very ugly clothes.
- SisterRainbow
  @KingsDaughter Colors and patterns clashing all over the place. To each, his or her own, though.
  - KingsDaughter
    @SisterRainbow @KingsDaughter
  - KingsDaughter
    @SisterRainbow They’re just so garish.
- MySmile
  @KingsDaughter Like someone else said, looks good as art, and some people could probably rock the hell out of it, but I wouldn’t wear it.
- zipporah
  @KingsDaughter its the FABRIC not the line of the dresses–BTW i cant wait until the ‘below the knee’ style comes back calves & ankles are ‘sexy’–they are as comfortable as pants sometimes–knees are kinda ugly to me to be shown–especially on these people who don’t wear pantyhose anymore unless they are black. My fave is a little , 50s, 80s, but no shoulder pads, etc….DIORish with nipped waist & Hourglass Angel takes care of that–LOL
  - KingsDaughter
    @zipporah My problem is the dresses mostly look like kitsch flea market bargains. I’m with you on the nipped in waist dresses. I LOVE those. My mom raves about about 60’s fashion and the New Look and such and I like those as well.
  - onthewaydown
    @zipporah @KingsDaughter I love below-the-knee skirts and dresses!
Shulamit
btw, the soldier pic IS on the shoe. look at the pic above 😉
oekmama
Great post Tanisha! You’ve sparked an interesting discussion. I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and their sensitivities and their opinion. You can’t convince anyone against their will.
That being said, I think that the readers here should be aware, that this is more a message to an ITALIAN audience than to black women or african-american women in particular. Anyone who has followed what’s going on in Italy in the last few years will see that this is a part of an Italian debate. Italy is struggling to come to terms with that African connection in its past and present.
So, two Sicilian guys coming up with this collection with an African inspired textile and a clearly dark-skinned female as the centre rather than a side-theme of a haute couture (=loving attention to detail) collection is sending a message – just not the one that most posters here are thinking.

Maxine posted below, that Italians consider Sicilians a bit ‘African’ anyway… there’s more to that comment than most realize – heck, I’ve never lived in Italy, so I’ll let you explain that.
- Shulamit
  thanks lady. would love to hear your input. I guess my thing is, were there black people on the runway last year? nope. if they had put black women in that show then it would have created another sh*tstorm for something else. Poor things. D&G is my fave house out of Italy. 🙂
The Working Home Keeper
I think the dresses are beautiful! Love, love the third one up from the bottom!
- zipporah
  @The Working Home Keeper I like the cut of the dresses but not the fabric–this is something i would wear only once even if i had the money to buy them-dont forget, they ARE trying to get someone to buy them–LOL
Statuesque
The clothes are absolutely beautiful. I’d wear them.

I don’t think D&G are racist or the clothing has overtly racist themes simply because a woman of African descent is depicted in tradition garb. What I find highly suspect is that they could not deign to find even a token model of African descent to more fully represent the diversity of Sicilian heritage. Everyone knows that Southern Europeans have African ancestry, often very visible in their features. They couldn’t find a single one to book for the show? All that inspiration about your heritage and you weren’t even inspired to reflect the diversity on the clothing with the models? That to me says that D&G are talking out of the sides of their mouths and lending credence to the white-washing criticism leveled at Big Fashion. I was happy to see the East Asian model though. She looked fabulous.

It’s always appropriate to examine and interpret art. An artist that can’t handle that shouldn’t display his/her art, much less try and sell it to people for thousands of dollars and enjoy publicity and fame when their art is embraced.
iHeartLove
The problem people have with this kind of cultural appropriation is that it has absolutely NO substance. It also ‘fetishizes’ the otherness of a culture. What I mean is, it doesn’t seem like they took historical Sicilian dress and made it high fashion. Instead it seems like they rubber stamped images related to Sicilian history/culture on their designs.

I don’t think it’s racist, but it’s not that good or imaginative of a theme either, which is a problem when your game is fashion. It’s all a bit matchy, matchy costumey to me lol (my made up adjectives).

Some of the pieces are nice, but others are glorified Sicilian themed Hawaiian shirts :/
Just my take…
MySmile
I don’t think it’s racist (though I was a bit suspicious at first), but I see how someone could be offended…Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. We’re all sensitive about some things.
- Shulamit
  @MySmile I feel people are entitled to their opinion, my issue is when people use their opinion to represent a whole group which Azelia Banks did.
  - astringofpearls
    @Shulamit @MySmile Sadly Azealia Banks looked ignorant. Yes she is a young lady, but man. I still love her though.
Joyce345
Gorgeous!
Blackberry
I don’t think it is racist, but I would would warn my my white friends against wearing any skirt that has a large print of a woman of color’s face in front her crouch or across her thighs.
It’s about pattern placement for me.
- zipporah
  @Blackberry Who wears this stuff after the show anyway–i wouldnt like wearing something like peoples FACES on clothing–looks like halloween—unless its polka dots. I also wish that the old fashioned scarf comes back in style—the scarf folded in half or a triangle and tied in front, with cateye sunglasses–probably wont, because that kinda goes together with a ‘roller set’ & that kind of scarf went out in the early 70s.When i was a kid, my mom used to wear those–i wouldnt mind wearing a scarf similar to the muslims but showing some hair–at least you dont see doods wearing those–LOL much, (oops forgot the dredlock doods, saw one in a scarf but tied in back by the nape)–‘ladies’ would tie theirs in front–LOL
The_Boss
Now if only they would use more than 3 black models in a show…