'Vogue Italia' Promotes 'Slave Earrings' (POLL)

'Slave Earrings' On Italian 'Vogue'

Apparently looking like a slave is hot in Italy. So, after purchasing your "Nigger-brown" bag from eBay you can complete the look with a pair of "Slave earrings.

According to Italian Vogue's website, "Slave Earrings" are a trendy item you should consider buying.

Here is how the website describes the accessory:

"Jewellery has always flirted with circular shapes, especially for use in making earrings. The most classic models are the slave and creole styles in gold hoops.

If the name brings to the mind the decorative traditions of the women of colour who were brought to the southern Unites States during the slave trade, the latest interpretation is pure freedom. Colored stones, symbolic pendants and multiple spheres. And the evolution goes on."

Angry commenters on Vogue Italy's website and Tweeters have not wasted any time in reacting.

The International Business Times reports that Tweeters have even produced a "tweet change" petition in response to the insensitive editorial.

The petition reads: "Ad agencies are clearly in dire need of consultation by Black Women and Men, as they routinely miss the mark in communicating with consumers. From the Summer's Eve to McDonald's to Vogue, the lack of tact, cultural relevance and basic intelligence is simply appalling."

Petitioners hope this will prompt the magazine to remove the ad. But that's not all, they are also looking for a specific apology from the magazine to black women because "black womens' supposed slave narratives were used in the promulgation of the ad."

Do you think it's offensive or just another lost-in-translation situation?

UPDATE: Vogue Italia's editor-in-chief, Franca Sozzani, has changed the name of the earrings to "Ethnic earrings," but did not change the description. She also issued the following statement in the comments section of the website:

"We apologize for the inconvenience. It is a matter of really bad traslation (sic) from Italian into English. The Italian word, which defines those kind of earrings, should instead be translated into 'ethnical style earrings.' Again, we are sorry about this mistake."

Here is a screen shot of the page before removing the word "slave."

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