Friday, May 18, 2012

Italian Vogue’s ‘Slave Earrings’

Italian Vogue’s ‘Slave Earrings’

Vogue Italia accused of racism for 'Slave earrings' feature.  Fashion magazine Vogue Italia apologises for a website feature called "Slave earrings" blaming "really bad translation".  From the UK Telegraph on 22 August 2011

A screengrab of the 'Slave earrings' feature on the Vogue Italia website

The feature, published on the Vogue Italia website on August 5, was accompanied by product images of large, gold-hooped earrings and a short burst of copy by Vogue writer Anna Bassi describing the trend, dating from 2010.

Vogue Paris in Black Face

"Jewellery has always flirted with circular shapes, especially for use in making earrings. The most classic models are the slave and creole styles in gold hoops. If the name brings to the mind the decorative traditions of the women of colour who were brought to the southern Unites [sic] States during the slave trade, the latest interpretation is pure freedom. Colored stones, symbolic pendants and multiple spheres. And the evolution goes on."

But within hours of being published, the feature faced stinging worldwide criticism, the strongest of which claimed Vogue Italia was guilty of a "disgraceful" attempt to "glamourise slavery".

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