Japanese netizens are protesting over what they feel is the disrespect of a luxury brand to their national dress, the kimono.
THE kimono is sacred to the Japanese. It is their art in which skilled artisans handcraft kimono using specific and time-consuming techniques.
And the fact that Valentino, a luxury brand, had its model, Mitsuki Kimura (professionally known as Koki) sitting on what critics say looked like an obi (a kimono sash) and walking on it with high heels, made the Japanese feel slighted prompting them to slam the brand with some calling for its boycott.
The model happens to be the daughter of former SMAP member Takuya Kimura.
SMAP is a Japanese boy band, whose songs were big hits in Japan. Koki debuted in 2018 and had since appeared on numerous covers for fashion magazines like Ele Japan, Numero Tokyo, Nylon Japan and Vivi and even luxury brands like Bulgari and Chanel.
Her latest stint was a photoshoot for Valentino, published last month, for the brand’s spring/summer 2021 Valentino Collezione Milano for Women collection in Japan.
The shoot featured shots of a strip of cloth resembling a kimono sash, otherwise known as obi. (RdlC)
Tags: #kimono, #Japaneseculture, #Valentino