Cultural appropriation
Adidas apologizes in indigenous ones for sandal design
A new sandal from Adidas has caused violent criticism. Now the sporting goods manufacturer has publicly apologized for this.
Unusual act of reconciliation: After violent criticism of a sandal design, the sporting goods manufacturer Adidas has publicly asked for forgiveness. A representative of Adidas Mexico, Karen González, apologized at an event in the affected community in Villa Hidalgo Yalálag in the state of Oaxaca. In Mexico, the company was accused of cultural appropriation.
Native people in traditional clothing also took part in the event with music and dance. They wore the handmade Huarache sandals, which served as a model for the controversial “Oaxaca Slip-on” from Adidas.
Adidas: “People avoid without acting their instructions”
The US designer Willy Chavarria had designed the shoe model based on the example of the sandals from Oaxaca. The Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had criticized the commercialization of a tradition without the express consent of her creators.
After a meeting with local authorities, the Adidas representative read an apology letter to residents of the community. “We understand that this situation could have caused trouble and publicly apologize for it,” said González on behalf of Adidas. “We will avoid it in the future without acting your guidance and cooperation,” she promised.
The Ministry of Culture and Art by Oaxaca described the apology as the “historical act of recognizing the indigenous peoples of Oaxacas”. According to a report by the newspaper “La Jornada”, Adidas announced that the product had not yet been marketed.
Dpa
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
