Gucci unveils the details of the Changemakers program, the brand’s response to the mistake of the blackface made on the catwalk. The admiral brand of the Kering group immediately commits a fund of 5 million euros to be spent in 5 years in North America on initiatives for minorities, supplemented by a further 1.5 million euros for 70 scholarships for deserving students. Then, starting in June, the allocation of a similar treasure of 5 million for the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. At the same time, Gucci plans to set up a Changemakers Council, which will include personalities known for their commitment to social inclusion, and the involvement of 18.000 employees in volunteering programs in their reference territory. After the announcement of new company policies, Gucci takes action. “I believe in dialogue, in building meaningful relationships and acting quickly – is the comment entrusted to a note by Marco Bizzarri, president and CEO of the brand -. That’s why we immediately got back to work to remedy our shortcomings. The Changemakers program will allow us to invest critical resources to create fertile spaces for common growth, stimulating and increasingly supporting intercultural exchange with the communities we interact with, especially the African-American one”.
Accidents didn’t end here
After Gucci, Burberry, Prada and Dolce&Gabbana, it’s Louis Vuitton‘s turn. The LVMH group maison has withdrawn from the market the garments of the latest menswear collection inspired by Michael Jackson. It is not a matter of committing a faux pas, but of a preventive tactic before the onset of any controversy. In fact, the documentary “Leaving Neverland”, an investigation into the accusations of pedophilia that weighed on the musician from the early 1990s until his death, was recently distributed. The upper floors of Louis Vuitton concluded that the combination of events (the distribution of the collection and the documentary spotlight) did not play in their favour.
