The encyclopedia · Advertising & PR · Marketing decision · 2026
LEMAIRE's braid-and-scissors promo was called 辱华 and the brand apologised
French label LEMAIRE's promo pairing a queue braid with scissors was read as a humiliation symbol; it apologised for 'not considering cultural sensitivity'.
LEMAIRE
What happened
In April 2026 French fashion label LEMAIRE released a promo image pairing a long braid (长辫) and a traditional 长衫 with a pair of scissors. In the Chinese market the queue braid is a historical humiliation symbol, and the photo was widely read as 辱华.
Coverage drew the parallel to D&G's chopstick video and other brands that crossed China's cultural lines. LEMAIRE responded with an apology, saying it '未能充分考虑不同文化语境下可能产生的感知差异与敏感性' (failed to fully consider the perception differences and sensitivities of different cultural contexts).
The brand said the image was not intended to offend, but the apology itself conceded that the visual was produced and approved without weighing the market it was promoting in.
Why it happened
- A recognisable symbol is load-bearing: the queue braid carries a specific historical humiliation in China, so a visual built on it cannot be read as neutral no matter the intent.
- Western-side review is not China review: the image was produced and approved where the braid was just a costume, so the market's actual reading only surfaced after release.
- An apology concedes the gap: 'we did not consider the cultural perception differences' is an admission that the China audience was not in the room when the image was made.
- Precedent made it worse: D&G's chopstick video and similar cases ensured the audience read the gesture as a pattern rather than a one-off.
The lesson
A form neutral in one market can be a scar in another. Promos approved abroad ship into China with a reading the studio never saw, and the apology confirms the audience was not in the room.
Sources
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