Chinese photographer apologises for stereotypical 'small eyes' snap for Dior: I was ignorant

Chinese fashion photographer Chen Man has taken the 'blame' for and apologised over her 'ignorance' after a fashion shot for French luxury brand Dior has courted controversy in China.

Some Chinese internet users have said that Chen Man's photo perpetuated the Western ideas and stereotypes of an Asian face.

"I blame myself for my immaturity and ignorance (in my past works)," Chen wrote on social platform Weibo.

Dior said the photo--which was recently displayed at a Shanghai exhibition--has been removed following the outrage.

On Wednesday, Dior wrote that the picture in question was more of an artwork and not a commercial advertisement.

"Dior, as always, respects the sentiments of the Chinese people... If any errors happen, [Dior] must be open to receiving feedback and correct them in time," the fashion house wrote.
The photo was first displayed on November 12 and faced backlash almost instantly from some netizens as well as the local media.

The Beijing Daily described the model's face as "gloomy face" and "sinister eyes".

"The photographer is playing up to the brands, or the aesthetic tastes of the western world. For years, Asian women have always appeared with small eyes and freckles from the Western perspective, but the Chinese way to appreciate art and beauty can't be distorted by that," the editorial piece read.

China Women's News said that the picture of the model with "swollen single eyelids" made people feel "uncomfortable".

Chinese Internet users have also pointed out that the photo was similar to Chen's photo series from 2012 that she had shot for i-D Magazine.

Chen's shot was labelled as "insulting" to Chinese women as they do not posses the fair skin and big, round eyes. Some have also alleged that Chinese women were projected in a "prejudiced" and "racist" manner in the shot.

Others, however, protested. One Weibo user saying, "Why can't a Chinese woman with small eyes also be considered beautiful? I don't see any problem with this."

On Wednesday, Chen said in her statement that she had "reflected deeply" and felt the need to issue an apology after scanning through "nearly every negative comment" about her artwork.
"I was born and raised in China. I deeply love my country. As an artist, I'm totally aware of my responsibility to document Chinese culture and showcase Chinese beauty through my work," she said.

"I will educate myself on Chinese history, attend more relevant events, and improve my ideologies... I will strive to tell China's story right through my work."

Chen Man is a fashion photographer in China and has shot cover stories for top magazines and has also captured the snaps of celebrities like David Beckham and Fan Bingbing.