Versace: The T-Shirt Controversy

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Author(s): Hailin Wang (Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, China)
Copyright: 2023
Pages: 15
Source title: Cases on Social Justice in China and Perspectives on Chinese Brands
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Youssef Elhaoussine (Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, China)and Lulu Wang (Business Advantage Consulting, China)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-4955-4.ch004

Keywords: Business Ethics and Law / Civic Engagement & Social Justice / Information Science Reference / Social Sciences & Humanities

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Abstract

As a world-famous luxury brand, Versace has always been the most favored brand by high-net-worth people in China. In 2019, the text on a T-shirt designed by Versace was questioned by a netizen about “listing Hong Kong and Macao with other countries.” For most Chinese netizens, this incident was interpreted as a campaign promoting Hong Kong and Macao independence. In addition, Chinese influential KOLs and ambassadors of Versace subsequently stopped their cooperation with the brand. After that, Versace apologized in China and put its announcement on its official Weibo account. However, Chinese netizens found that Versace didn't go far enough and did not apologize on foreign mainstream media either. Chinese consumers started boycott campaigns to incite other consumers not to buy it. Under this pressure, Versace issued a new apology in both Chinese and English on foreign social media and other official platforms, accompanied by an apology letter from the brand creative director, claiming that the T-shirt had been removed from the shelves and destroyed in the official sales channel.

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