Profiles

Adidas' Fong sneaker causes Chinese outrage

(iol.co)
Updated: 2006-04-13 10:03

Chinese groups are complaining about German shoemaker Adidas' release of a sneaker with an image they say perpetuates a negative stereotype of Asians.

The limited-edition shoe, a collaboration between Adidas and San Francisco speciality clothing maker HUF, features an image of an Asian man with bowl-cut hair, slanted eyes, pig nose and buck teeth. Created by US artist Barry McGee, the image on the 'Fong' sneaker's tongue resembles ones used in past anti-Chinese political cartoons. [file photo]

The limited-edition shoe, a collaboration between Adidas and San Francisco speciality clothing maker HUF, features an image of an Asian man with bowl-cut hair, slanted eyes, pig nose and buck teeth.

Created by Bay Area artist Barry McGee, the image on the "Fong" sneaker's tongue resembles ones used in past anti-Chinese political cartoons, Asian-Americans say.

"It's very sad and disturbing that in this day and age, this stereotype is coming from a large and global company like Adidas," said Vincent Pan, executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action in San Francisco.

The sneakers have generated outcries on the Internet since 1 000 pairs were released in a dozen boutique shops worldwide on April 1. A pair costs $250 (about R1 532) and are aimed at die-hard sneaker collectors.

An Adidas spokesperson told the San Jose Mercury News that said the company "appreciates all self-expression" and "had no intention of offending any individual or group."

HUF owner Keith Hufnagel dismissed the accusations of racism as "Internet garbage."

"They should do their studying before they say anything," Hufnagel said, referring to the fact that the image previously had been used in McGee's art as anti-racist commentary.

However, Aimee Baldillo of the Washington-based Asian American Justice Center, which has received complaints about the shoe, argued that "slapping a Chinese face on a sneaker removes it from that context."