A while back, Gucci came under fire for releasing a collection that resembled Blackface that followed a global shaming campaign of the brand with many acts boycotting and even burning their Gucci products. While Dapper Dan explained how there's no excuse for such a move, he still decided to help the brand grow in a better direction by joining the team and prioritizing opportunities for Black youth.
Naomi Campbell is now with Dapper Dan, since joining the newly formed advisory committee on diversity and inclusion, and told The Washington Post how anyone who burnt their Gucci clothes is "foolish."
“I think it’s ridiculous for people to say they were burning their [Gucci] clothes. Don’t burn your clothes. It wasn’t intentional,” Naomi said.
“On a positive note, there’s a silver lining,” she added, of Dapper Dan's Changemakers scholarship. “In a lot of countries, football was a way of getting out. Now those interested in fashion and creativity have a way.”
"We will invest important resources to unify and strengthen our communities across North America, with a focus on programs that will impact youth and the African-American community," Gucci's CEO and President Marco Bizzarri said in a statement. "I believe in the promise of the next generation, and through our scholarship fund we will also create more opportunities for talented young people of diverse backgrounds to gain access to careers in the fashion industry."
