To make the situation worse were Stefano Gabbana's private messages on Instagram, viewed by other users. From there the storm, despite Gabbana's denial of authenticity, the disappointment with the brand had ridden all over China and beyond. Beijing's Ministry of Cultural Affairs also intervened, canceling the imminent fashion show in Shanghai and thus causing obvious economic and image damage to the brand. In the meantime, according to international newspapers, D&G products have disappeared from the most important online sales platforms (which according to experts, e-commerce in China for certain products is equal to 90% of sales), such as JD.com , Suning and Tmall. And finally, to conclude the thriller, here is a last video with the apologies of the two stylists to the Chinese and to China, but the happy ending is still far away.
Now, one wonders how all this happened and why the choice of the ADV so different from their advertising campaigns, all the time instead of tradition. Going back to the history of this Maison, we can only note the great attention paid to the culture of one's own country and of Sicily, which has always distinguished the brand since its inception. Nothing has ever been conceived and created without taking care of an image of respect for everything that belongs to the heritage of a country with an image skilfully merged with art. Each of their products, even if sometimes provocative, has always been traceable to models and icons that we can find in Italian art especially in the Baroque style. Art in every way of being, art never contaminated by concepts other than tradition, art as an exaggeration and simplification of a model with very clear origins. It is a well-known model that is very popular with peoples of different cultures but also very far from approaching, precisely because it is strongly steeped in Italian history. But also a model that can be interpreted as too provocative and therefore capable of creating conflicts, exactly as happened among artists in past centuries. In fact, the talent of an artist could give rise to wars between powerful people, who, in order to possess exclusive ownership of the entire work of the master, paid better and so the work passed on to another client.
Surely the superficiality of D&G, in not paying attention to what the advertising campaign could arouse, is at the basis of this bad blow.
However, it should be remembered that the Maison is still all-Italian, unlike many other brands already purchased by foreign financial funds, often owned by mega groups in the sector listed on international stock exchanges, and no less in Hong Kong.
Now, one wonders if this nasty adventure that has already resulted in the product being banned Made in Italy from the Chinese market, the loss of image and turnover is not even ready a plan for the purchase of the D&G company by the Dragon.
One thing, however, remains certain, D&G has made a bad impression by underestimating the sensitivity of Asian peoples: unforgivable lightness.
