Maison Kitsune hit for using Rising Sun Flag
By Kim Jae-heun
Model Kim Sang-woo flies a paper plane with the Rising Sun pattern in this photograph released in the Maison Kitsune look-book last month. / Courtesy of Maison Kitsune
French digital music and fashion label Maison Kitsune drew fire for using the Rising Sun flag, a symbol of Japan’s militarism and imperialism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in their new collection look-book released last month.
The promotional images with the flag appear more than once, where a male model flies a paper plane with the Rising Sun pattern and a female model actually holds the ensign.
Maison Kitsune’s 2016 Men’s Fall/Winter collection “Love Rise” was inspired by Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s movie “The Wind Rises.” The film portrays the life of fighter aircraft designer Jiro Horikoshi with World War II as the background.
The French brand issued an apology, Jan. 24, saying that “the controversial images in 16FW look-book will not be used for Maison Kitsune and sincerely apologize for the mistake of the French creative team that did not understand the cultural sensitivity of the image of the flag. It is not what the team originally intended to show.”
“This is all about the lack of historical awareness,” said Jung Duk-hyun, a culture critic. “People learn what they have done wrong belatedly. It applies not only to Korean stars but entertainers abroad. It is an apparent blunder of ignorance.”
The Rising Sun Flag has a red circle in the center of the ensign that signifies the sun and 16 rays spreading outward. It is often considered the Asian version of the Hakenkreuz flag, a symbol used by the Nazi Party, later by the Third Reich, during WW II, which has been banned in Germany since 1945.
The Rising Sun Flag also disappeared with Japan’s surrender in 1945, but was re-adopted in 1954 after the establishment of the Japan Self-Defense Force under the approval of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP).
In Korea, China and some Southeast Asian countries that were colonized by Japan up to the end of WW II, people still find the Rising Sun Flag offensive.
However, the recognition of the meaning of Japan’s flag is not widely known. The controversy grew even bigger as the male model in the look-book turned out to be a 22-year old British Korean, Kim Sang-woo. Kim, who walked the Burberry show for the first time as a Korean model, also posted an apology Jan. 23 through his instagram, a photo-sharing social network service.
Other celebrities, including rapper T.O.P of K-pop boy band Big Bang and Hollywood actress Kristen Stewart were embroiled in the same controversy after wearing fashion designs with the Rising Sun logo, in 2007 and 2015, respectively.