By Kaya Liu and Kaylin Nguyen, 2026

On November 17th, 2018, Italian luxury fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana released a commercial video series titled “Eating with Chopsticks” on China’s social media platforms to promote its upcoming fashion show in Shanghai four days later (Jia, 2022). In the video, a Chinese woman was featured eating Italian foods, such as pasta, pizza, and cannoli with chopsticks, narrated in an accent that mocks Chinese speech with a condescending tone. The video immediately triggered widespread backlash from the Chinese public, as it was thought to be racially insensitive and rooted in cultural stereotypes. The backlash escalated just a few days before the scheduled event, forcing D&G to cancel the show and sparking one of the most significant public relations crises in the luxury fashion industry.

Background

Before the “Eating with Chopsticks” controversy, Dolce & Gabbana was one of the strongest and most popular luxury fashion brands in China. The brand had cultivated a strong market presence, with China accounting for 33% of global luxury spending, surpassing the United States (22%) and Europe (18%) (MartinRoll, 2020). This growth was driven by the rising Chinese middle class, younger generations of affluent consumers, and brand-conscious consumers.

However, D&G had previously been criticized for racist and insensitive behaviour. In 2016, the brand was mired in controversy after marketing a pair of pom-pom accented leather shoes as “slave sandals” and promoting “blackamoor earrings,” which were seen as reinforcing colonial and racial stereotypes (Colon, 2016). The brand’s co-founders also generated controversy with their personal comments. In 2015, Domenico Dolce publicly opposed gay adoptions and described IVF children as “children of chemistry, synthetic children,” which sparked global backlash (Ferrier, 2015). Stefano Gabbana had made several derogatory comments toward same-sex couples, drag queens, and Hollywood celebrities, reinforcing audience perceptions of their bigotry and arrogance (Idiens, 2018). These earlier controversies laid the groundwork for public distrust, which would explode during the 2018 ad campaign.

In November 2018, the “Eating with Chopsticks” video campaign was rolled out across multiple social media platforms, including Weibo and Instagram, as a pre-launch campaign just four days before the upcoming major fashion show in Shanghai. The video featured a male narrator, speaking in an exaggerated Mandarin accent, giving a woman instructions on how to eat the Italian cuisine. The narrator mispronounced “Dolce & Gabbana” as “Dos & Gabna,” mimicking a Chinese accent and questioned whether the food was “too big” for the model to handle (Aguada, 2023). Many viewers felt that the ad mocked Chinese culture by portraying the woman as awkward and overly exotic, rather than presenting a respectful or authentic cultural exchange. The rollout highlighted the brand’s limited understanding of cultural sensitivities in the Chinese market.

D&G’s Goals

D&G’s “Eating with Chopsticks” campaign was originally designed to celebrate Chinese culture and build anticipation for the Shanghai fashion show. Titled “The Great Show,” the event was positioned as the biggest fashion show in D&G’s more-than thirty-year history, featuring 140 performers and an audience of 1,400, including celebrities, influencers and media (Vogue, 2018). The campaign attempted to blend traditional Chinese cultural elements, such as chopsticks, Chinese lanterns and Qipao (traditional dress) with Italian cuisine, aiming to symbolize cultural appreciation and a bridge between east and west.

Another goal was to reach Gen Z and affluent young Chinese consumers, who were central to luxury growth at the time. Compared to European and American luxury consumers, Chinese luxury consumers are younger, with most under the age of 40 and 23% classified as post-1990s or Gen Z (aged 21-30) (MartinRoll, 2020).

Viral Criticism

Nevertheless, the same factors that made the campaign go viral also made it vulnerable: once the campaign began receiving backlash, the anger spread rapidly. The hashtag “#BoycottDolce” appeared more than 18,000 times on Weibo (Aguada, 2023).

The situation got even worse when screenshots of D&G co-founder Stefano Gabbana’s alleged Instagram messages, including him referring to China as “a country of crap,” were leaked on Chinese social media platform Weibo (Tahir & Birchall, 2018). Many netizens accused the brand of being culturally arrogant, with one viral comment saying “The brand wants to earn money in China yet look down on Chinese people! Who gave them the confidence?” Gabbana’s Wikipedia page was even edited, labelling his occupation as “racist” (Wang, 2018).

The backlash quickly escalated as Chinese celebrities and public figures wrote their condemnation on social media (Xu, 2018). Prominent Chinese actor Zhang Ziyi, best known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, posted on Weibo saying that D&G had “disgraced itself” accompanied by a poop emoji (Tahir & Birchall, 2018). The Communist Youth League Central Committee of China joined the criticism, posting: “Foreign companies operating in China must respect China,” implying that D&G had “brought disgrace upon themselves” (Hass & Agencies, 2018). Western scholars echoed similar sentiments; Dr. Julie Bilby of the department of media and communication at RMIT University, Australia, told the BBC: “Chinese consumers are not naïve; they will spot insincerity and tokenism a mile off, and respond accordingly” (BBC, 2019).

Beyond reputational damage, the brand also suffered economic losses. Major Chinese e-commerce platforms, including internet giant Alibaba Group’s Tmall, JD.com and NetEase’s Kaola, removed all D&G product-related keywords from their search results (Bloomberg, 2018).

Numerous fashion models and celebrities withdrew from the upcoming Shanghai fashion show, just hours before it was scheduled to begin. Outside mainland China, the aftermath of the incident reached Hong Kong several days later, with upscale department store Lane Crawford stopping the sale of D&G merchandise both online and in store (Associated Press, 2018). D&G’s series of inappropriate responses to the backlash transformed a cultural misunderstanding into a nationwide boycott and a global public relations crisis.

Damage Control

D&G’s official account removed the viral videos within 24 hours of posting. In response to the “powder keg” ignited by the co-founder Stefano Gabbana, the brand issued a statement less than three hours after the incident broke out that insisted both accounts had been “hacked” and added, “We have immediately taken legal action to resolve the issues. We have nothing but respect for China and the people of China” (Wang, 2018; Xu, 2018).

To quell the outrage among Chinese netizens, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, designers and founders, posted a short apology video to the official D&G Sina Weibo account on November 23rd, 2018. In the video, the duo spoke in Italian and expressed their hope that China would forgive their “lack of understanding” of Chinese culture, ending with the word duìbuqǐ (“sorry” in Mandarin) twice (China Daily, 2018). However, the visual and verbal choices in the video further alienated the audience. The duo wore plain black t-shirts—casual everyday wear that showed a lack of formality—and chose to speak in Italian rather than English, the latter of which is more commonly understood by the Chinese audience. The language barrier, combined with a vague and indirect tone, created emotional distance rather than connection.

The apology video was also criticized for focusing on “cultural differences” without mentioning a single word about the alleged racist Instagram messages. Many Chinese viewers perceived the video as insincere and performative, resulting in some posting translations beneath the video that read “They are merely apologising for China’s money, not for the Chinese people” (Dolce & Gabbana, 2018). The brand made no further strategic follow-up in China, since there was no local PR campaign or public engagement strategy, leaving just silence, avoidance, and distance.

As a result, D&G failed to repair the reputational damage. According to Aguada (2023), the brand’s Asia-Pacific market experienced a 3% drop from the previous fiscal year. Analysts estimated a loss of up to 20% of its brand value—approximately US$188 million.

The brand’s response did not stop there. Four months later, D&G filed a defamation lawsuit in Italy against two U.S. bloggers behind the Instagram account @diet_prada, who had posted Gabbana’s racist message on Weibo (McCall, 2021). The company sought the equivalent of hundreds of millions of dollars (Sky News, 2021) in compensation to restore brand image, and to defend the company and the co-founder’s reputation. The lawsuit drew renewed public attention to the original controversy and reinforced negative perceptions of the brand. Legal commentators noted that such high-profile defamation claims can discourage public criticism and open discussion (Sanicki, 2021). Rather than taking actions to repair its brand reputation, the legal action reinforced that D&G was attempting to suppress criticism instead of taking accountability.

Ultimately, D&G’s damage control efforts, including denial, insincere apologies, and legal retaliation, failed to demonstrate genuine accountability or cultural understanding. Instead of regaining trust, the brand’s response reinforced audience perceptions of arrogance and insincerity. To this day, D&G continues to struggle to regain its reputation in the Chinese market (Ai, 2023).

Learning Points

The D&G case underscores how a lack of cultural insight can destroy a brand’s reputation in a key market. Fashion is emotional; it should be a vehicle to support meaningful cross-cultural dialogue (Xu, 2018). In an era where brand messages cross borders instantly, even minor cultural missteps can escalate into full-blown crises. From a public relations standpoint, this proves that effective communication in the global market requires genuine localization, guided by cultural consultants or local creatives. Moreover, when the backlash began, D&G’s response was slow and defensive, which worsened public outrage. In contrast, effective PR requires swift acknowledgement of the issue, genuine apologies and corrective action, which showcases that successful brands must not only talk the talk, but walk the walk, especially when they make a mistake (Xu, 2018).

A successful global brand must maintain two-way communication with its audience, which highlights the value of listening and stakeholder engagement for PR practitioners. If D&G had actively listened to its Chinese consumers or brand ambassadors before or during the crisis, the fallout could have been mitigated. When entering a new market, establishing feedback through social listening tools and local teams is important to detect early warning signs of controversy. The D&G case stands as a powerful reminder that, without genuine cultural understanding and open stakeholder engagement, even the most established global brands can face severe backlash and reputational damage. Strong brand awareness means nothing if it is not associated with professionalism, fairness, and equality (Aguada, 2023).

References

Aguada, L. (2023, May 16). High cost of racism in high fashion: A case study on Dolce and Gabbana’s cultural appropriation. About Resilience. Retrieved October 13, 2025, from https://www.aboutresilience.com/high-cost-of-racism-in-high-fashion-a-case-study-on-dolce-and-gabbanas-cultural-appropriation/

Ai, L. (2023, July 27). Dolce & Gabbana is still struggling to regain popularity in China. Daxue Consulting – Market Research and Consulting China. https://daxueconsulting.com/dolce-gabbana-china/

Associated Press.  (2018, November 23). Dolce & Gabbana founders make video apology to China after racism accusations. NBC. Retrieved October 10, 2025, from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/dolce-gabbana-founders-make-video-apology-china-after-racism-accusations-n939461

BBC. (2019, January 22). “Racist” D&G ad: Chinese model says campaign almost ruined career. Retrieved October 10, 2025, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-46968750

Bloomberg. (2018, November 22). China: Dolce & Gabbana faces backlash after viral ad blunder. Time. https://time.com/5461964/dolce-gabbana-ad-controversy-china/

China Daily.  (2018, November 23). Dolce and Gabbana issues official apology. Retrieved October 10, 2025, from https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201811/23/WS5bf7a8e0a310eff30328ab59_2.html

Colon, A. (2016, March 3). Dolce & Gabbana tried to sell “Slave” sandals. Dolce And Gabbana Spring 2016 Slave Sandal Controversy. https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/03/105136/dolce-and-gabbana-slave-sandal-spring-2016-collection

Dolce & Gabbana. (2018, November 23). Dolce&Gabbana apologizes [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ih62lTKicg

Ferrier, M. (2015, August 17). Domenico Dolce apologises for remarks about IVF and gay families. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/aug/17/domenico-dolce-apologises-for-remarks-about-ivf-and-gay-families

Hass, B., & Agencies. (2018, November 23). Chinese retail sites drop Dolce & Gabbana amid racist ad backlash. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/23/dolce-gabbana-vanishes-from-chinese-retail-sites-amid-racist-ad-backlash

Idiens, E. M. (2018, November 28). A comprehensive timeline of every offensive comment Stefano Gabbana has ever made. Fashion Magazine. https://fashionmagazine.com/style/stefano-gabbana-offensive-timeline/

Jia, J. (2022, June 30). Marketing controversies—Dolce & Gabbana’s China campaign eating with chopsticks. Asiatische Studien – Études Asiatiques, 76(1), 63-85. https://doi.org/10.1515/asia-2021-0017

Knowledge at Wharton. (2018). Dolce & Gabbana’s mistakes in China. In Knowledge at Wharton Podcast. University of Pennsylvania. https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/podcast/knowledge-at-wharton-podcast/dolce-gabbana-mistakes-in-china/

MartinRoll. (n.d.). Chinese luxury consumers: Trends and challenges for luxury brands. MartinRoll. Retrieved October 11, 2025, from https://martinroll.com/resources/articles/asia/chinese-luxury-consumers-trends-and-challenges-for-luxury-brands/

McCall, T. (2021, March 4). Dolce & Gabbana is suing Diet Prada in Italy for defamation – fashionista. Fashionista. https://fashionista.com/2021/03/dolce-gabbana-diet-prada-lawsuit-defamation

Sanicki, D. (2021, May 29). Instagram call-out account Diet Prada is being sued, so what does this mean for local creators?. Sanicki Lawyers. https://sanickilawyers.com.au/instagram-call-out-account-diet-prada-is-being-sued-so-what-does-this-mean-for-local-creators/

Sky News. (2021, March 7). Dolce and Gabbana files multimillion-pound lawsuit against bloggers after backlash over alleged anti-Asian comments. https://news.sky.com/story/dolce-and-gabbana-files-multimillion-pound-lawsuit-against-bloggers-after-backlash-over-alleged-anti-asian-comments-12238521

Tahir, T., & Birchall, G. (2018, November 22). D&G founder “calls China Crap Country” after race row over advert. The Sun. Retrieved October 3, 2025, from https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7800209/dolce-gabbana-founder-calls-china-a-crap-country-after-race-row-over-advert-featuring-asian-woman-eating-pizza-with-chopsticks/

Vogue. (2018, November 21). Dolce & Gabbana cancels its Shanghai Great Show amid controversy. https://www.vogue.com/article/dolce-gabbana-cancels-shanghai-great-show

Wang, Y. (2018, November 21). D&G陷「辱華」風波 章子怡等中國明星集體抵制 (Chinese Celebrities Including Zhang Ziyi Boycott D&G amid Controversy over ’Insulting China’). Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-46293409

Xu, M. (2018, December 1). Dolce & Gabbana chopstick snafu: A warning to global brands. Asia Times. Retrieved October 11, 2025, from https://asiatimes.com/2018/12/dolce-gabbana-chopstick-snafu-a-warning-to-global-brands

Xu, Y. (2018, December 1). Dolce & Gabbana ad (with chopsticks) provokes public outrage in China. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/12/01/671891818/dolce-gabbana-ad-with-chopsticks-provokes-public-outrage-in-china