‘Hideous’ giant inflatable doll installed by Italian fashion brand in trendy Shanghai district horrifies locals
- The 7-metre long blow-up doll is described as ‘ugly’ and ‘scary’ by horrified Shanghai locals after it appeared without warning on the weekend
- The doll was made for a Tokyo fashion show promoting Diesel’s 2022 collection but has somehow made its way to Shanghai
A giant inflatable blow-up doll placed in front of a pop-up fashion store by Italian label Diesel in China has generated controversy due to its unsettling appearance.
The seven-metre long doll has been described as “the ugly object”, “hideous” and “scary” by Shanghai residents after it appeared outside the store on the city’s trendy Huaihai Road over the weekend.
The doll has a bizarre face that looks partially melted, no eyebrows and eyes that appear to be rolling into the back of its misshapen head. It is wearing a pair of what appears to be the Italian brand’s jeans and a denim top.
The inflatable doll is to promote the brand’s 2022 autumn and winter collection and has been erected on public space outside the store. This has also caused controversy, with some questioning the appropriateness of placing a giant commercial fashion show set in a public space.
The doll was among several gigantic blow-up models that appeared at Diesel’s autumn and winter show in Tokyo in June.
On Weibo, the hashtag to promote the event “Incoming Giant Phantom Tour” has received 100 million views in the past week.
On Xiaohongshu, China’s version of Instagram, the huge doll has been most commonly referred to as “the ugly object” and triggered heated discussion about its long, melted-looking face, eyes that are looking up strangely and the absence of any eyebrows.