INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightZara/Sina WeiboImage caption
Some asked whether Zara wanted to "uglify" the Chinese public by featuring a
freckled model
A fierce row has broken out in China - and it is all down to some freckles.Li Jingwen, professionally known
as Jing Wen, has attracted considerable attention for her freckled appearance in a campaign for a new range of cosmetics for Spanish fashion
Chinese daily Global Times says that her freckles have made her appearance "iconic"
But they have sparked debate in Chinese social media, as it is rare for Chinese people to have them
Some say her appearance in the campaign "uglifies" the Chinese people, but others have leapt to her defence, and are calling on more to be
done in the country to help people embrace their natural beauty
'I really hated them'Jing Wen, who is from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, has become a recognisable face in the modelling world
She has modelled for a number of luxury and high street brands, including Calvin Klein and HM
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Jing Wen - it is rare for Chinese people to have freckles
She
has not responded to the advert controversy, but has spoken about her earlier insecurities at having freckles
She told Vogue magazine in October 2016: "When I was little, I really hated them because normally Asian people don't have them
"In high school, I always tried to cover them, but now it's ok
I like them, and that's enough." Having clear, unblemished skin has been the preferred beauty norm for decades in China, as well as in wider
Consequently, her appearance in Zara's latest campaign has been regarded as controversial in China, and has received significant backlash
from users on the popular Sina Weibo microblog.Since Zara launched its advertising campaign on Friday, many in China have voiced confusion
about the brand's decision to feature a model with freckles.Some say that Ms Li's appearance looked "ugly" to them
Others have gone further, questioning whether Zara was "insulting" or "defaming the Chinese", with one saying: "such pictures featuring an
Asian model with freckles and an expressionless pie-shaped face mislead Westerners' impressions about Asian women, and can lead to racism
against Asian women." 'More aesthetic diversity'The popular Pear Video website interviewed a representative from Zara, who said that the
advertisements were targeted at their global market, and not specifically at China."The aesthetics of the Spanish people are different,"
they said, adding: "our models are all photographed purely, the pictures aren't changed, and they're not modified."They refuted suggestions
that Ms Li had been "uglified" saying "she has always looked like this, her face has not been photoshopped, she was photographed
naturally."Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Jing Wen, seen here at New York Fashion Week in 2017, is currently
one of the country's most sought-after models
Zara's response has led to tens of thousands of Weibo users posting using the
hashtag #ZaraRespondsToUglifyingChineseModelComments
Many are applauding Zara's decision not to photoshop Ms Li, and are voicing their anger that she is seemingly being bullied by people from
her own country."This Chinese model has suffered discrimination from her compatriots," says one user, receiving hundreds of thousands of
"How much of an inferiority complex do the Chinese people have" another asks
Many praise her "natural beauty" and say that China should do more to show different perceptions of what is beautiful
"The ideas of what is aesthetically pleasing is too narrow to so many people," one user says
Another adds that there should be "more aesthetic diversity"
Showing how much they 'love the country'Some social media users have turned their criticism on the government for what they see as a
continued campaign to mount an attack on foreign brands, under the guise of "patriotism"
The China Daily newspaper highlights that "those who complain about Zara's new advertisement might do so to prevent the nation's image from
being hurt" amidst a "lack of cultural confidence".Many users say there are similarities between the reception to Zara's campaign, and a
campaign last year by luxury brand Dolce Gabbana
The latter, which featured a Chinese model eating pizza with chopsticks, received fierce criticism from the public for being culturally
Image copyrightDolce Gabbana/InstagramImage caption
Chinese model Zuo Ye said her appearance in a DG campaign 'almost
ruined her career'
And some users say that since the DG incident, it has become trendy to call out companies or individuals
for perceptions they might be insulting the Chinese public
One user says: "Before the DG ad was called out for being insulting, I wouldn't have thought about watching its video twice." They said they
felt there has become a "general feeling of inferiority" amongst the Chinese public since
Another user adds that there has become a wave of companies and individuals who have been smeared for "insults to China", noting how the DG
incident was "raised to diplomatic level"
But they say that the attempt to smear Zara is "overkill"
Another adds: "I feel as though some of my countrymen aren't really patriotic, but are now simply showing how much they 'love the country'
by participating in a siege"
TheIndianSubcontinent Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world
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