Diana Farah

DUBAI: Famous Italian brand Valentino has come under fire in Japan for featuring a fashion ad of a well-known model walking and standing on an obi, or a kimono sash.

In many cultures, especially in Japan, bottoms of shoes are considered dirty and it is frowned upon to wear shoes indoors in homes.

Koki, the model in the ad, is the daughter of Japanese celeb Takuya Kimura, who previously starred in Sega’s Judgment and voiced Howl in Howl’s Moving Castle.

In Valentino’s video, Koki is shown walking across an obi with her shoes on, while the sash was draped on the ground outdoors. The two acts are considered disrespectful in Japanese culture.

Valentino has since issued an apology on Twitter saying: “Maison Valentino deeply apologizes for any offense caused.”

pic.twitter.com/6DauMWof0h

— MaisonValentino_JP (@Valentino_Japan) March 30, 2021

Many social media users claimed the Italian brand was being “insulting” and “discriminating” against Japanese culture.

One Twitter user said Valentino was “vulgar” for taking the shots.

あの下品極まりない写真をよく撮影できましたね。きっと「品」というものに敬意がなく、価値がわからない人達しか関わっていないのでしょう。
まさに、豚に真珠状態でした。(^^)
逆に言えば、企業としての品位が良くわかる写真でした。

— 笹屋仁三郎 (@Roki4529) March 30, 2021

Another said that there was no “respect for the culture” and the ad comes off “very negative.”

今回の動画については、帯に見える・イメージさせるものを『踏む』演出自体が極めてマイナスです。
『踏絵』という言葉に表れるように、その行為自体が日本人にとって『和服への冒涜』以外の解釈が困難です。
『文化への敬意』が皆無のように感じてならず、とても残念です

— 御次のえお (@eo_pixiv) March 30, 2021