An Apology will not Suffice

         After the recent controversy with Gucci and their blackface sweater, we are once again receiving another apology from a different high-end brand, Burberry. They featured a hoodie with a noose around the neck. While many people were quick to attack Burberry stating suicide is not fashion, which it is not, let us not forget the history of lynching and even the past couple years where a noose was used as a threatening gesture towards black people. The disrespect to our ancestors who were murdered without reason. Their blood that fertilized this land. Myself and many others do not want an apology. We are sick and tired of apologies that offer no change or accountability. An apology holds no weight when the same disregard has been shown time and time and time again. We do not need an apology.

         After the recent incident with Gucci and their black face sweater and our apparent boycott Dapper Dan, a black designer from Harlem who collaborated with Gucci decided that he wanted to hold a meeting with the CEO of Gucci in Harlem with members of the community to talk about inclusion and I’m just wondering why he’s even wasting the time. This isn’t an attack at Dapper Dan it’s just to bring to light how in the black community we are quick to forgive and not only forgive but to try and inject ourselves into positions and places with white people that have shown that we are not a priority.

         It’s time for us to take a stand it’s been time for us to take a stand. Gucci, Burberry and many others have released degrading and disrespectful clothing and label it as fashion to deny responsibility.

         I feel as if this meeting Dapper Dan is having is just one way of showing how instead of just stopping his collaboration with Gucci which in turn would probably damper some of his earnings he would rather try to have this meeting that at the end of the day will not make a difference. There has been plenty of times where these companies have been called out and continued to do the same repeated behavior that they have been called out about showing that they don’t give a flying fuck.

         What is even more disheartening and saddening is black celebrities such as Floyd Mayweather and Soulja Boy who disrespect the idea of a boycott. Mayweather said he didn’t care about a boycott he’s buying Gucci. As for Soulja Boy who originally was in favor of the boycott quickly shifted gears saying Gucci needs to cut him check before he starts wearing their brand again. Where is the loyalty? Where are these peoples integrity. When it’s comes to money and brand names black people are quick to turn a blind eye.

         The meeting with Dapper Dan and Gucci happened about 5 days ago and all I can say is if you can continue to support this brand going forward I think you are a fool to accept their statement of supposed inclusion. Gucci released a statement claiming all of the new programs that they will introduce to call themselves accountable and introduce more inclusion into the fashion world but at the end of the day they mention nothing about black people. How do you release a reparative plan to address the situation that offended a group of people but in this plan it does not even explain how they will include more black people?  

         As for Dapper Dan I’m not surprised but now I feel truly disgusted as he released a statement before introducing Gucci plan where he basically reduces black people and their efforts to become a part of the fashion world. He basically said that T-shirts and logos and so forth are not fashion and for black people to truly be a part of the fashion industry they need companies such as Gucci to hire them so they can get an understanding of what true fashion is. Which is beyond ridiculous to me. Here we have Dapper Dan who has solidified himself in the fashion industry and instead of taking black people under his wing he tells us that we need companies like Gucci to figure out how to do better. Did I say I wasn’t attacking Dapper Dan earlier forget that, now this is an attack. I’m sick and tired of sellout black people who claim that we need white people to accomplish anything in our life’s. Dapper Dan would rather continue to be an employee of Gucci instead of branching out after this controversy and saying “hey, I’m not going to be a part of this anymore. I’m going to teach my people how they can become high-end fashion without these brands.” Keep your meeting and your apologies. Some us will continue to riot in anger and work towards creating spaces for our own, while others will continue to claim they’re not sheep when we all can see how lost they really are.