Ralph Lauren apologized this week after Beatriz Gutierrez, the wife of Mexico’s president, blasted the retailer for cultural appropriation and indigenous design ‘plagiarism.’
Mrs. Gutierrez demanded Ralph Lauren apologize for selling a coat with “Mexican designs” which retails for $360.
“Hey Ralph: We realize that you really like Mexican designs, especially those that elaborate ancestral cultures that preserve the textile tradition. However, when you copy these designs, you fall into plagiarism, and as you know, plagiarism is illegal and immoral. At least acknowledge it. And hopefully you repair the damage to the Indigenous communities who do that work out of love and not for millionaire profit. These designs are by Contla and Saltillo,” Beatriz Gutierrez said on Instagram this week.
Illegal immigration is illegal and immoral too, Beatriz Gutierrez.
Ralph Lauren issued an apology after Beatriz Gutierrez demanded one.
“When our team discovered months ago that this was in our product pipeline, we issued a stern directive to remove the item from all channels,” Ralph Lauren said on its site. “We are conducting an urgent audit to determine how this item landed on a sales floor after that directive and ensure it is removed immediately.”
“We are deeply sorry this happened and, as always, we are open to dialogue about how we can do better,” Ralph Lauren said in a statement.