Victoria’s Secret accused of racism for ‘Sexy Little Geisha’ outfit

Someone get Zhang Ziyi on the phone. I assume she’ll want to update her memoirs. Actually, it’s Victoria’s Secret that’ll want to update its records. The lingerie retailer is facing backlash and racist accusations for its “sexy little geisha” outfit, part of the brand’s “Go East” collection, which when visited online, now automatically redirects customers to the company’s home page. Guess we now know why the brand was, and appears still to be, looking for a new copy manager.

It seems Dolce and Gabbana is trying to upstage Victoria’s Secret in the offensive clothing line category. The fashion house’s spring 2013 line features frocks and earring adorned with African slaves. The Refinery29 blog called them “cartoonish, debasing, subaltern imagery that would make even your politically incorrect Grandpa think twice.”