One to file under “What the hell were you thinking?”: Hong Kong store’s Nazi theme sparks fury.
What genius decided that using Nazi symbols on fashion was a good idea? Apparently the designer “wanted the clothes to have a military theme and did not realize that the Nazi symbols would be considered offensive.” As much as I despise ignorance, I could forgive it, if it were indeed just a single person who created this, then quickly apologized for their stupidty and yanked the line. But this is far too blatant to have been a mistake from the company’s viewpoint.
Marketing personnel spend a lot of time proofing concepts and final designs. Designers do not get to create something and have it placed untouched in front of the public. It just doesn’t happen. Several layers of approval and proofing exist in every form of marketing groups, whether it is an agency, or an in-house department. The fact that the company’s marketing manager, Deborah Cheng said “We’re seriously considering removing the displays. But before we take them off, we have to find a replacement,” shows that this company is only thinking of the bottom line.
Also, I would think that someone along the line would have questioned the theme of the clothesline and its associated props, halting the display before it could be presented to the public. Apparently the staff at one store knew enough to try to stop an AP photographer from taking pictures of the event, yet they didn’t take the banners and swastika-adorned objects down.
I truly hope there is a consumer backlash in Hong Kong and that this company is put out of business. .. Actually no, I hope that the top level executives are fired from their posts and that every store manager that didn’t register a complaint ahead of the boiling point is demoted to janitor level.
Morons.
you should be able to put whatever symbol you like on clothing. there is always someone who’s going to be offended. people need to pull their pants up and quit being such crybabies. sheesh!
I agree, people can and should be able to put whatever they want on their clothes, just as they can speak their minds. But that has nothing to do with corporate stupidity. Placing swastikas on clothing is a political statement; one that infers support of mass murder and oppression. Not exactly a popular stance for retail outlets, or a vast majority of companies.
Ignorance is not an excuse, and history is not something you get over by pulling your pants up.
Take some time to study the acts of the Nazi party, and the populace that followed Hitler and his cronies. The events that occurred under the swastika should be remembered, but they should not be glorified. And they sure as hell shouldn’t become trite fashion statements.
Oh, and if nothing else, had the Nazi’s won, the vast majority of people around the world (at least those, who were not sent to concentration camps) would not be free to place whatever symbols they wished to on their clothing…
As an emerging fashion designer myself, and with my first t-shirt collection taking some (albeit) obscure inspiration from nazi/german war regalia, then I can only say 2 fingers up to all you boring, miserable, stick in the muds out there! This is the 21st century…Get with the times!
I’ve come across some of these nazi inspired fashion items myself in Mong Kok. Given, the events that transpired under the nazi regime are a testament to the horrors of religious, racial and political persecution, the swazi (swastika) itself is a mere symbol that bears no relation to agenda once held by the perpetrators of the holocaust. A little reading on the matter would make it clear that “swastika” is a sanskrit word with a meaning far more spiritual and complex than i care to explain at the moment. I still recall my grandmother painting the symbol on the doorsteps leading to our house(we’re not german) 24 years down the line i could’nt help but laugh when i saw the stereotype Mong Kok bookie sporting a baggy black tee with the ever apparent swazi on the back. Please also note that Mr. Hitler (hehe) used an inverted form of the symbol, thus technically it should not be reffered to as the swastika. Just thought I’d say my piece.
Actually, the symbol only represents what YOU CHOOSE to read into it. If you view the swastika as an ‘evil’ symbol, that’s YOUR problem. I’m sure there are many who attribute more positive meanings behind the swastika (for example, maybe there’s a veteran of the Wehrmacht who has a lot of pride in his career as a soldier). I suppose there are just too many people like you who want to make sure everyone marches lock-step in with what YOU think is right. Ironic, hmm?
Well most Nazi symbols are used by the U.S. Government and there is very little difference between the Nazi U.S. version and Nazi Deutsche symbols, the U.S. uses the same fasces widely as did the Nazis. You will find many coins with Nazy symbols on U.S. currency also.
Does this make any difference? well may be the USA are the New Nazis as many people believe today.
There are some things that cannot possibly be denied because evidence exists in national records and historical archives. The CIA was formed by Nazis in 1947 with permission from the FBI and were also given authority to recruit Nazi scientists into the USA and other Nazis to work int he US Government - this news only came out 40 years later.
A large volume of documentary evidence exists that reveals that many of the richest, most powerful men in the United States, and the giant corporations they controlled, were secretly allied with the Nazis, both before and during World War II, even after war was declared between Germany and America. This alliance began with U.S. corporate investment during the reconstruction of post-World War I Germany in the 1920s and, years later, included financial, industrial and military aid to the Nazis.
US Nazi connection - many US companies invested in to WW2 such as well known companies as IBM, Du pont, General Motors, the Ford motor company, Coca Cola and thousands more not to forget the Bush family heavily invested in the WWII they actually made it possible for Hitlers War Machine and all can be proven if you chose to research try looking up national records - such evidence has also been reported in UK London based Newspapers.
It was Adolf Hitler who first spoke of a New World Order - something that is beign more recognised now as a conspiracy (but still not believed as much as mind control conspiracy because the world government do not admit this yet as they do with mind control) Hitler wrote a book called New Order also, but this won’t change anyones opinions will it? at least not the brainwashed ones who only have opinions that are founded by governments for you and of course that idiot box you all love to watch.
Soon we will have compulsory Biometric ID cards which will not only be used in our passports and ID cards for ID purposes but also to purchase products on a daily basis which is linked to a National and International Biometric Database - so if the same goes for the Patriot Act no one protests against you will be happy enough to give up the rest of your freedom and rights which will give the official stamp to say all citizens ar eterrorists and will be treated accordingly - why not read those Patriot Acts yes the ones that were drafted well before 911 and also while you’re at it read United Nations policies.
Also worth mentioning is that the companies that ran Auschwitz (the same companies that was funded by US laundered money through the Bush family)concentration camps are now the ones who Genetically Engineer your food splicing human DNA, viruses, antibiotics and unrelated transgenic alien genes that never existed naturally in your food.(many scientits believe that the rise in cancer over the last ten years plus may be related to GE food as allergies are).
Some say that the USA has concentration camps and internment camps all across the USA, I have personaly spoken to people who have worked for FEMA and they say such bases do exist but they did not have knolwedge for what usage they would have. Prisoners at Guantamano bay were experimented on as well as torured.