The Chinese model who appeared in the Dolce & Gabbana advertisement broke her silence over accusations of racial stereotyping. The model apologized to people, saying the commercial had "completely ruined" her career.
Zuo Ye, a graduate of South China Agricultural University, posted on Weibo on Monday to explain her side about the ad that triggered a major backslash. She said she had not given enough thought regarding the content of what will be on the video, so she's "very guilty and ashamed" about the racial controversy.
Zuo said she would never disrespect her motherland because she loves her country and she felt proud to represent China on the catwalk. The model said she had learned her lesson, and then once again apologized to the Chinese people.
She also said that she suffered widespread attacks from social media users, accusing her of "making money by insulting her own country" and "vilifying the image of the Chinese." Zuo added she's not a public figure, so she decided to remain silent for a while and not to provoke further controversy. But now, she wanted to make herself clear and set the record straight.
The Dolce & Gabbana ad features Zuo wearing a red D&G dress while struggling to use chopsticks to eat spaghetti, pizza, and a giant version of a cannoli pastry. The ad was reportedly designed to promote the Italian fashion house's campaign, "DG Loves China," prior to the fashion show in Shanghai back in November.
However, the campaign backfired over accusations of racial stereotyping. The controversy further ignited as the screenshots of a social media message sent by its co-founder Stefano Gabbana were leaked, describing China as a "country of s***." The fashion show has been canceled, even though Gabbana and his partner Domenico Dolce apologized to the public and Chinese people, the South China Morning Post reported.
Zuo thought that working with a major international brand would somehow boost her career, but instead, the ad had "completely ruined" it. She dismissed the claim she was chosen to insult China since she looked like a stereotypical "squinty-eyed model," so D&G chose her because her "single eyelid" gave her a distinctive appearance.
She also said that she was told she'd be going to shoot a "fun video" which involved Italian cuisine. The director reportedly instructed her to show surprise, bewilderment, and appreciation of the food although she felt awkward while shooting. Zuo said she had no right to watch the campaign ad beforehand or to give an opinion about the content.
Although the model says her sorry, not all people are convinced. Some said her explanation was useless and the video was "disgusting," while others also defended her saying they understood her situation as she no controls over the commercial.
