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| Chen Man's picture for Dior had attracted criticism from some Chinese. In contrast, an editorial by the Beijing Daily described the model in the Dior photo as having a "gloomy face" and sinister eyes". (Photo by= ChenMan/Dior) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] A Chinese fashion photographer has apologized for her "ignorance" after a picture she shot for French luxury brand Dior sparked outrage. BBC said that Chen Man's photo showed a woman who some Chinese netizens said perpetuated Western stereotypes of Asian faces.
"I blame myself for my immaturity and ignorance [in my past works]," Ms. Chen, 41, wrote on social platform Weibo. "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 artwork and not a commercial advertisement.
Dior said the photo, which was recently displayed at a Shanghai exhibition, has since been removed. 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. Fair skin and large eyes are typically considered ideal beauty features in China, and advertisements more commonly feature models with such features. Chinese social media users echoed this, Ms. Chen's photos were an "insulting" portrayal of what those in the West believed Chinese women looked like. Some Chinese Internet users pointed out that the photo was reminiscent of Ms. Chen's photo series dated 2012.
