Dior draws fresh fire in China, this time over ‘hallmark’ skirt resembling Ming and Qing attire
- Online state media and web users slam cultural appropriation as luxury brand’s ‘hallmark silhouette’ resembles ancient Chinese horse-face skirt
- Dior also sparked controversy in 2021 after a photo at a Shanghai show was criticised for ‘smearing Asian women’
“The so-called Dior silhouette is very similar to the Chinese horse-face skirt. When many details are the same, why is it shamelessly called a ‘new design’ and ‘hallmark Dior silhouette’?” fumed an opinion piece published by People.cn, an online portal of Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily.
The commentary, published on Saturday with the hashtag “cultural appropriation” on Chinese social media platform Weibo, accusing it of the unacknowledged adoption of foreign cultural elements.
The Chinese horse-face skirt, or ma mian qun, dates back to the 10th century Song dynasty and was commonly worn by women during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
The wraparound garment features pleated fabric on either side when draped. Four slits down the sides make it suitable for horse-riding, though its name refers not to the animal but to defensive structures jutting out over city walls in ancient China.
The People.cn piece called on Dior to respond to the controversy and offer details on its design which has “stirred public opinion, raised questions among netizens and has continued to ferment”.
“Dior should respond to the concerns of [Chinese] netizens as soon as possible. This would show that an internationally renowned company [such as Dior] is responsible for its own corporate culture and pays tribute to world history and cultural heritage,” it said.
Dior has been contacted for comment.
