Claudio Cutugno Accused Of Bringing Blackface To Milan Fashion Week

Claudio Cutugno, an Italian designer, has come under fire in the U.S. after being accused of using blackface in his show during Milan Fashion Week.

Claudio Cutugno Models In Black Makeup

In Cutugno’s show, the models walked down the runway with their faces covered in black makeup and glitter. While audiences in Europe appear to have little response to the makeup, American audiences have been calling the show racist and identifying the makeup as blackface. Of course, while many media outlets were quick to call Cutugno racist, some defended the designer, noting the absence of any other cultural imagery or undertones in the show to suggest a racially motivated makeup decision.

Cutugno also apologized for any offense caused by his show and made clear that he never even thought of the makeup in a racial context:

“I am extremely sorry if many people thought this makeup would be offensive and also that I am racist, but that was not my intent. I am extremely respectful of the afroamerican culture and extremely sorry for each type episode of racism. Furthermore my inspiration was coming from a completely different idea which has nothing to do with the theme of afroamerican culture. I would have never [thought] someone could have find the makeup offensive, otherwise I would have never used it [sic].”