Italian designer sparks controversy with models in blackface

theGRIO REPORT - Up and coming Italian fashion designer Claudio Cutugno is receiving backlash today after having his models walk the runway in blackface during Milan Fashion Week.

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

Up and coming Italian fashion designer Claudio Cutugno is receiving backlash today after having his models walk the runway in blackface during Milan Fashion Week.

Tuesday, the designer decided to take things to a whole other level, having his models walk in sparkly blackface makeup as part of his all-black themed show.

Cutugno has yet to address the backlash, but according to the E! News, his collection was inspired by the artist Emilio Isgrò, who regularly uses bees in his work. Supposedly, the sparkly blackface is supposed to look like bees are swarming on the models’ faces.

Some folks on Twitter today are questioning whether or not the the sparkly blackface makeup was indeed offensive, while others are calling it out and out racism.

https://twitter.com/blankstare_bear/status/571138660273233920

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