Allesandro Dell’Acqua & More Wear Blackface To African Party *Update* Another Party

[loladonna]

Are you American? Do you know the history behind blackface? If not, I'd recommend you to actually do some research before comparing both things.
And it shouldn't be a matter of is it "way too much". Either it's wrong or right. In this case, everything is the former.

I don't think you even need to be American or understand Blackface to understand the basic premise that one's ethnicity is not a costume.

 

[Melancholybaby]

At least anyone who's showed up in the photos looks tribal/African themed. But regardless, it doesn't bug me at all...it's actually never bugged me. A costume does not make these people racist, I strongly believe that. I wonder if people were offended when grace jones goes white face/albino? Because apparently that was classified as artistic.

One thing I will admit though, the gentleman dressed up as slaves was just way too much IMO...

You have to be joking with this post right? Can't you see how offensive these costumes are?

As loladonna said you don't need to be American to know a brief history of slavery. After all, Americans weren't the only ones involved in the slave trade.

 

[LagerfeldBoy]

I don't think you even need to be American or understand Blackface to understand the basic premise that one's ethnicity is not a costume.

oh, I completely agree! I've been snooping around other forums engaging in this discussion and some members are justifying this and feeling as if there's no issue at all because they aren't American and thus blackface is an American thing. But as you said, one's ethnicity isn't a costume or something to even joke about.
The only reason I mentioned American is because the hatred root blackface has within the country and the minstrel shows that occurred after the civil war. I was referring to that poster I replied to that needs to do research why blackface is wrong. It baffles me that it doesn't bug him/or her.

 

[Luxx]

An absolute embarrassment that shows a real lack of sensitivity and awareness on the part of the participants.

 

[SugarMe]

Why does the fashion industry have to disappoint me so terribly at every turn? They put on a minstrel show, for heaven's sake. How can people be this stupid?

 

[TREVOFASHIONISTO]

At least anyone who's showed up in the photos looks tribal/African themed. But regardless, it doesn't bug me at all...it's actually never bugged me. A costume does not make these people racist, I strongly believe that. I wonder if people were offended when grace jones goes white face/albino? Because apparently that was classified as artistic.

One thing I will admit though, the gentleman dressed up as slaves was just way too much IMO...

do you not understand the origin of the term blackface? its not just a term for painting your face black, but was a form of entertainment for white to stereotype and create a caricature of how the perceive black people... I hate when people try to use the reverse racism tactic and say "well what if it was whiteface" white people were never and will never have to endure what black have and still go through on a daily basis. I am not trying to start a pitty party but its very unsettling when someone tries to say we're overreacting or its not that big of a deal. All of this is flat out racist whether you choose to believe it or not.

 

[GERGIN]

Halloween is the only day people dress offensively, I understand the historical terms around blackface but yeah I don't think it's a big f***ing deal.

 

[TheoG]

I don't find the African themed ones racist because there in customs, I know the intent but it's still slightly offensive because THERE NOT CUSTOMS they are traditional clothing of the Maasai people which I feel offense too. BUT THIS PICTURE THAT I CANNOT STAND.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ That pic really shows the ignorance of those men. I'm embarrassed for them.

I don't see how this blatant display of ignorance can be excused. By anyone. The outrage over this is not a case of the overly-sensitive PC-gone-overboard, which I find to be the case with quite a few criticisms when concerning high fashion. This is just wrong. What adult person would think it's fine get dressed in blackface or as a black slave is alright...? These idiots really enforce the stereotypes of the clueless, "fierce" idiots in the industry.

On a purely superficial note, the irony is that there is such a huge lack of creativity and imagination with these costumes from these "fashion" people.

 

[MulletProof]

Back in the day you'd bathe yourself in fake blood and could identify school 'bullies' because they were so 'bada*s' and wore gallons to achieve looking as disturbing as their personalities. Dressing like someone you didn't like that happens to sit next to you never occurred to anyone. The point was being on top of the game by scaring, not insulting.

Maybe these people didn't grow up with Halloween and just theme parties in a place that appears not to spend a dime on diversity awareness. I mean I'm sure the Italian government is superb in many areas (sighs) but triggering the ability of self-questioning among its citizens and demanding at least some more modern practices from the ones that allegedly sustain its economy (and will always influence the rest of the population to some degree) doesn't seem to be anywhere in their agenda, so ultimately they may have a theme party for Halloween but with horror stories like this, Italy nails Halloween the other 364 days of the year. It's not a big f*cking deal for the rest but it should be for them...

Who came up with this party anyway? and who's who?

 

[Phuel]

The disturbing aspect isn't so much that these people-- some of whom aren't kids, but mature adults, wouldn't feel instinctively-- as a human being, that getting dressed as a black slave for "fun", would be insensitive to the history of slavery? You don't need to know, or be aware of the reference/ historical significance of that image, it should be instinctive, as a functioning person, to know not to trivialize it in such a disposable manner. I wouldn't instantly judge them all racists, just definitely, frighteningly stupid people.

 

[MulletProof]

I'd say their instincts are in order as with anyone in a business that requires strategical thinking. I think deeming a lot of what happens in fashion as natural of their stupidity (stupid people do stupid things, etc) is what sometimes gives them a free pass to get away with things like this.

I think they're just political servants.


That said, I'm the type of paranoid person that thinks it's all government conspiracy to strengthen/weaken policies or parties.

 

[SugarMe]

I understand the historical terms around blackface but yeah I don't think it's a big f***ing deal.

Well, clearly you don't understand the historical significance of blackface.

 

[Eilif]

This is disgusting... I feel ashamed for them.

(Somebody asked about the Italian situation. In Italy, integration poses a lot of problems and is often a challenge, but the government itself is trying to make a change. Racist people live everywhere, but the whole Italy is not like this. There are public funds which immigrants have access to, associations that deal with problems related to integration and help foreigners who don't speak the language, and the people where I live fight to keep people in their homes and gather around the homes of the poorest (Italian people but also immigrants from Africa and Eastern Europe) so that the police can't evict them.
The situation is far from being decent, but it's not that in Italy everyone is a racist.)

 

[Phuel]

Mulletproof: What?!?! You not being a sly and witty political/social commentator...?

Oh Mulletproof, I feel sometimes your wry wit is lost in this ship of fools.

 

[pixiedust1603]

The disturbing aspect isn't so much that these people-- some of whom aren't kids, but mature adults, wouldn't feel instinctively-- as a human being, that getting dressed as a black slave for "fun", would be insensitive to the history of slavery? You don't need to know, or be aware of the reference/ historical significance of that image, it should be instinctive, as a functioning person, to know not to trivialize it in such a disposable manner. I wouldn't instantly judge them all racists, just definitely, frighteningly stupid people.

Pretty much.

What adds to the offensive and frankly insulting nature of their preposterous actions is that many of them never hire people of colour for their fashion shows or their campaigns, yet they are more than willing to "assume" the identity of people of colour for their own amusement. It's shocking behaviour. In fact having an African themed party is problematic in itself.

 

[MulletProof]

In Italy, integration poses a lot of problems and is often a challenge, but the government itself is trying to make a change. Racist people live everywhere, but the whole Italy is not like this. There are public funds which immigrants have access to, associations that deal with problems related to integration and help foreigners who don't speak the language, and the people where I live fight to keep people in their homes and gather around the homes of the poorest (Italian people but also immigrants from Africa and Eastern Europe) so that the police can't evict them.
The situation is far from being decent, but it's not that in Italy everyone is a racist.)

Thank you for the explanation... and apologies if I sounded like I belong to that party in the end!. My concern is the evident lack of long-term investment (and I'm not talking about emergency measures to face the immigration tension) to eradicate racism, which is unfortunately mostly effective through government policies and pressure on entertainment/fashion and not really through the labour of ONGs (which is brave and immediate but often short-term and vulnerable without legislations).

By long-term measures I mean taking steps on establishing political correctness/incorrectness... this takes generations but you have to start by crafting a desirable image and backing up these ONGs, which people will ultimately understand and live by (something that it's beginning to be seen in big cities in the US and the media- people react aggressively to what's politically correct and what isn't-- be it vocabulary, mannerisms, equal opportunity demands, entertainment).

 

[Eilif]

I agree with you 100%, but it's really difficult to eradicate racism in Italy when there's a lack of basic rules and principles. For example, the government is currently trying to modify the so-called Bossi-Fini law, which is an inhuman law that basically gives sanctions to those who help illegal immigrants in the Mediterranean Sea. Having this law modified would be a huge step for Italy. I agree with everything you said, but I believe that Italy can't take the long-term measures we all wish the government would take, as long as these kinds of law are still in the Italian jurisdiction.
(Sorry if it took me a while to answer, but I had to re-read everything multiple times.)

 

[fashionlover2001]

Very disturbing. It's blatantly clear that those people are mocking Black/sAfricans.
It's a shame that in the year 2013 this is still happening.

 

[Littleathquakes]

Halloween is the only day people dress offensively, I understand the historical terms around blackface but yeah I don't think it's a big f***ing deal.

Halloween doesn't give you the liberty to dress offensively. I'm sure that's the thin thread these partygoers are desperately hanging to, but it's not a valid one at all.