If you follow fashion runway shows, then you know it's not uncommon for designers to name their looks something a bit . . . out there. But when A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou abruptly announced at his recent men's show in Paris, "I call this one look Last Ni##@$ in Paris," one really had to wonder: WTF?!
But if the name alone wasn't enough to make your blood boil, the designer stuck his foot in his mouth again by casually explaining his choice [1]: "Because it's the sweet spot when the hood — the 'hood — meets Bertolucci's movie Last Tango in Paris. So that's 'Ni##@$ in Paris and Last Ni##@$ in Paris." He also decided to call out the brand's Timberland boot collaboration, saying that "the Timberland here is a very strong ghetto signifier. In the ghetto, it is all the Timberlands, all the big chain." Right . . .
Apparently, though, Touitou meant no harm, because — duh! — he's friends with Kanye West [2], which obviously means it wasn't racist, right? Well, Timberland didn't think so, because the brand announced today that it's cutting all ties with A.P.C. [3] But what do you think? Were the comments racist or just some kind of French humor that got lost in translation? Let us know in the poll.
*Update: Jean Touitou has issued a statement to GQ [4] in response to the incident. "When describing our brand's latest collaboration, I spoke recklessly using terms that were both ignorant and offensive," his letter reads. "I apologize and am deeply regretful for my poor choice of words, which are in no way a reflection of my personal views."