Prada pulls ‘blackface’ figures after backlash

Prada is scrambling following backlash over a figurine many call racist.

The National reported:

Part of the Pradamalia collection, the figurine in question is called Otto and is an updated version of one of Prada’s recurring motifs, the monkey. It was created in collaboration with 2x4inc (which also did Prada’s pop up at the recent Art Basel: Miami Beach). However, the reworked figure now bears an uncomfortable resemblance to the 1890s book character Little Black Sambo.

CBC News reported:

The company describes the product line as a “new family of mysterious, tiny creatures that are one part biological, one part technological” and have names like Otto, Toto and Disco.

The black and brown versions feature oversized red lips — a common characteristic of historical blackface imagery.