Italian fashion titan, Prada, seem to have retraced their steps after a massive backlash on account of certain racist products. The company have decided to stop the production of certain accessories which have been seen as racist perpetuating “blackface imagery.”
Recently one of the Prada’s many shops showcased a purse having a doll which looked Sambo-like. This sparked a lot of criticism both on social media and via other means. TMZ reports that several people had referred to the image as Sambo-like, others consider it to resemble a monkey, while another sect believe it is a hybrid of both.
Prada Purse with ‘Sambo’ Figurine Triggers Cries of Racism https://t.co/pbJszULBuv
— TMZ (@TMZ) December 15, 2018
Ezie said that the figurines, which had dark colored faces with big red lips, were a similitude of the images used in American theatres sometime in the 19th century. Those images were classified as dehumanizing and the Pradamaline figurines don’t seem any different.
In response to the many chastising comments, Prada have issued a statement saying they never intended the products to be offensive, they were just fancy merchandise. In concluding, the Prada representative went on to say that Prada is totally against racism and racist imagery.
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