Dior's new sweatshirt has been accused of cultural appropriation of Chinese traditional flower-and-bird paintings on August 1, 2022.In the comparison photos one netizen posted on Sina Weibo, a Chinese traditional flower-and-bird painting can be seen on a new yellow sweatshirt, part of the brand's latest 2022 autumn and winter ready-to-wear collection. Photo: Screenshot from web

Dior's new sweatshirt has been accused of cultural appropriation of Chinese traditional flower-and-bird paintings, netizens posted on social media, and indignation from a previous case has yet to recede. 

In the comparison photos one netizen posted on Sina Weibo, a Chinese traditional flower-and-bird painting can be seen on a new yellow sweatshirt, part of the brand's latest 2022 autumn and winter ready-to-wear collection.

The brand introduces the new product as its iconic Jardin d'Hiver (winter garden), netizens found out on Dior's website. 

Similar flower-and-bird patterns can also be seen in Dior's dresses and coats, though the brand introduces this collection as an interpretation of Mr. Dior's wall murals, which are full of poetic and exotic designs.

The relevant hashtags have gained nearly 35 million views on Weibo since the issue came to the public's attention on Tuesday afternoon.

Just half a month ago, the luxury brand was also mired in controversy when Chinese netizens accused it of another case of cultural appropriation. In that case, they claimed that a $3,800 skirt copied designs from a traditional Chinese garment called "Mamianqun," known as the horse face dress. 

The brand has not yet addressed the complaints, but it quietly stopped selling the dress in the Chinese mainland. 

Chinese students overseas also joined the protests against Dior's cultural appropriation and the silence of the brand on the controversy.

Students organized a protest at a square near Dior's flagship store in Paris last week, holding pictures that compared Dior's new skirt with the traditional Chinese horse face skirt.

"This is a traditional Chinese dress," "Dior plagiarized the design" and "Stop cultural appropriation," their banners read.

In November 2021, Dior triggered Indignation and criticism from the public in China as the French luxury brand published a photo accused of smearing the image of Chinese women.

 The photo, on display at a Dior fashion exhibition that opened at the West Bund Art Center in Shanghai at the time, showed a model with single eyelids and dark skin dressed in traditional Chinese clothing and holding a Dior bag.

"It is only a photo that was part of the art project. The brand will continue to respect the feelings of the Chinese people, abide by Chinese laws, and cooperate with related authorities to strictly review all works that will be displayed to the public," Dior said in an apology on Weibo later that month. 

Global Times