Dolce & Gabbana @ Canton Road

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=118644&...

Get the picture?

Phila Siu and Diana Lee

Monday, January 09, 2012

Long queues massed along the luxury brand mecca of Canton Road yesterday - but the last thing on their mind was shopping.
More than 1,000 people protested outside Dolce & Gabbana's elite Tsim Sha Tsui flagship, demanding an apology for alleged discrimination against locals banned from taking pictures of its storefront display.

The Italian luxury fashion brand shut its doors before 3pm as the crowds gathered, and other shops nearby were also forced to shut. About 20 police stood on guard outside.

The company issued a short, unsigned statement last night - without an apology - saying: "We wish to underline that our company has not taken part in any action aiming at offending the Hong Kong public."

This came after camera-laden protesters descended on the store taking pictures and carrying placards denouncing the store's actions.

Angry protesters chanted "Shame on you, D&G" and "Snapping pictures is our right. Banning is not your right" as passing motorists sounded horns.

"Open the door. I have money and I want to do some shopping," said one protester, holding a fistful of hell banknotes.

The protest was organized on Facebook, with the site drawing more than 15,000 "likes" since Thursday. Fury started to build last week after people, claiming they were told to leave while snapping pictures of the store from the roadside outside Harbour City, went online to vent their wrath.

A security guard reportedly said only mainland tourists were allowed to take photo

s outside the store, and a D&G guard allegedly threatened to break journalists' cameras if they continued to take photos.

A well-known mainlander, possibly a government official, was reportedly shopping in the store last month when he noticed people outside taking photographs. A complaint was made to D&G because the customer feared netizens would link the shopping spree to corruption. Then D&G instigated the ban. D&G's statement strongly denied making any racist or derogatory comments. "Controversial statements reported in the Hong Kong press have not been made by Dolce & Gabbana nor its staff.

"It is regrettable that Dolce & Gabbana has been brought into this matter."

Harbour City apologized on its Facebook page on Friday. D&G's store did not return calls yesterday and no one came forward to meet the protesters.

Chief executive candidate Henry Tang Ying-yen said D&G should see taking photographs outside the store as a compliment. "People take photos because they like the products. The store should welcome this instead of turning people away."

Tourism sector lawmaker Paul Tse Wai-chun said D&G should apologize for discriminating against locals and he will raise the issue in the Legislative Council.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Dolce
• Gabbana
• D&G
• Canton
• Road
• hong
• kong
• Fashion

[hongkongmap]

please check out the description

[ravenovereed]

I think it's not about the security guard, it's about the policy of D&G. They don't allow people to take pictures of their storefront on the sidewalks, which is public area and totally legal and unrelated to any copyright violation according to lawyers!!! Especially, they welcome ONLY Mainlanders and Foreigners to take pictures, but NOT Hong Kong people! This is discrimination!!!! Your store is opened IN Hong Kong but you discriminate against Hong Kong people!! What the hell reason it is?!!!!!!

[rayamuro78]

Hong Kong don't need D&G - (Dog-shit & Garbage); We all love a clean Hong Kong! Hong Kong might be a small place but it is a great city.

[jontibloom]

Newsflash schmucks ! Its a fucking boutique - who cares ! Why dont you Hong Kong people protest as vigorously against, for example , LEGCO legislation favouring developers who fuck you over every days of the year , year in year out , and other such important matters concerning your everyday lives. Dont waste your time getting angry over an overpriced gloryfied clothes shop.

[Ernestwcyy]

This is tremendously bizarre and ludicrous. Please respect us, and don't discriminate HKers.

[lilxmissxMANGAx]

@ravenovereed Sadly most high end brands in HK discriminate against the local hk people and usually treat them in a completely different way to mainlanders. They treat customers from mainland alot more nicer and would tend to ignore local hk people when they go shopping at these high end brands. The reason for this is due to the generalisation(truth?)that mainlanders are a lot more willing to spend or they come to hk with a "gold mine."

[stupidpwner123]

i feel bad for coach....they cant sell their stuff if it wasnt for goddam D&G

[d1gps15]

@rayamuro78 No! We Want Hong Kong need Big Cities!! we don't want hong kong too small place, because we hate too small, every years always be stay the same, don't want to stay the same and same old life, we want hong kong to change new life and new plants, futures.. Do you see a lots of countries they changes a lots of plants, new life, and new futures cities ? and become big cultures!...

[d1gps15]

@ravenovereed Nope! we don't welcome Mainlanders.. you better shut up, hongkong it's for hong kong people and place, not yours! We welcome English peoples and lots of more.. not of bad china ppl, because too many bad china ppl thief There!... you should know it!

[tearsangelz]

What a farce.

Get out of Hong Kong if you are going to that D&G.

Now I see that you are just a shameless money scammer.