Dolce Row
Protesters
gathered outside Dolce & Gabbana's Hong Kong store again yesterday and on
Friday, in a bid to urge the label to apologise over an incident in which a
Hong Kong resident was banned from taking a picture of the shop.
"We
have to protest for our freedom," one protester, Bell Poon, told WWD. "If they haven't
apologised we will still come here. [This] is Hong Kong. We are Hong Kong
people. This is our responsibility."
In total,
160 people braved the rain to show their anger towards the brand, with many
holding banners bearing slogans such as: "Fight brand names! Oppose [those
who] put down Hong Kongers!" A spokesperson for the label told us
that there would be no further comment.
Updated Tuesday January 10, 9.38am: Dolce &
Gabbana has become embroiled in a row, after one of its
security guards banned a photographer from taken a picture of its Hong Kong
shop front. More than 13,000 members of the public protested outside the store
on Sunday.
Local
newspaper Apple Daily alleges that the label defended
its decision on the basis that the store is intellectual not public property,
and claims that whilst Hong Kong locals are banned, mainland Chinese tourists
are permitted to take pictures - an accusation Dolce & Gabbana denies.
"Controversial
statements reported in the Hong Kong press have not been made by Dolce &
Gabbana nor its staff, and we strongly reject any racist or derogatory
comments," a spokesperson for the label told us this morning. "It is
regrettable that Dolce & Gabbana has been brought into this matter, but we
wish to underline that our company has not taken part in any action aiming at
offending the Hong Kong public."
