Dolce & Gabbana is just now learning that slavery is bad.
The realization was triggered by a gladiator-like sandal it was selling online called the “Slave Sandal in Napa Leather with PomPoms” — for $2,400.
Technically, as Footwear News points out, the word slave is an actual shoe term: It is, apparently, a “description for a particular lace-up shoe silhouette.” But the term has fallen out of favor, taking a back seat to the phrase “gladiator sandals” for glaringly obvious reasons. Also, it only takes an ounce of common sense to know avoiding the word is smart marketing.
The listing, which has been edited, still lives on in screenshots:
Other brands, including Saks and Moda Operandi, have smartly left out the word “slave” from their descriptions although the term appears in Lyst’s URL, Racked points out.
Not surprisingly, people on Twitter were mortified. “I’m sorry, but WTF is wrong with people?!,” one person tweeted. Another added: “Okay but how did D&G think it was okay to name some sandals ‘slave sandal’ wow.”
Italian Vogue could have warned them against the moniker: In 2011 the publisher was heavily lashed online for featuring “slave earrings” on its website before apologizing. But then again, Dolce & Gabbana has a habit of courting controversy: Last year Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana publicly criticized in vitro fertilization.
The designer hasn’t responded for comment. Upon further inspection, perhaps the sandal’s design is worth apologizing over too.
More in Marketing
Is this X’s (formerly Twitter) final goodbye to big advertisers? It looks like it
In the packed DealBook conference in New York yesterday, owner Elon Musk bluntly told them to shove it.
Goodbye LinkedIn, Hello TikTok: The Return podcast, season 2, episode 6
WorkTok, or CareerTok, is in full force. Combined, those hashtags on TikTok have over four billion views and it is benefiting Gen Z.
Research Briefing: TikTok tops brands’ holiday wishlist
In this week’s Digiday+ Research Briefing, we examine how brands have been upping their TikTok investments this holiday season, how Lyft and the MSG Sphere are positioning themselves as ad opportunities beyond OOH, and how publishers are committing to building their events businesses in 2024, as seen in recent data from Digiday+ Research.