"Racist T-shirts against China have recently appeared in Germany. A white T-shirt was displayed in the window of a clothing chain store called KULT, with the words "FUCK YOU CHINA" boldly printed on the back. The sleeves also featured a caricature of a Chinese clown dressed in Qing dynasty attire with a mustache. Although the company stated that this T-shirt absolutely had no intention of provocation, Chinese netizens were still enraged and strongly demanded the recall of this T-shirt, even calling for a boycott of the brand's products.
According to German Voice, this piece of clothing was designed by a Munich-based multinational company named after designer Philipp Plein. The company focuses on mid-to-high-end consumer goods, including furniture, lighting, luggage, and clothing, renowned for its design, service, and quality. Named after the 28-year-old Munich designer Philipp Patrick Plein from Germany, the company headquarters is currently located in Switzerland.
However, the T-shirts produced by the company openly printed "Fuck You China, Manufactured in Europa, Produced and designed by Philipp Plein." below the neckline on the back, along with an image of a clown representing China on the arm.
In response, Chinese netizens expressed their anger, strongly demanding the recall of this T-shirt and even calling for a boycott of the brand's products. In response, a spokesperson from Philipp Plein headquarters said that this was just one of the company’s market development plans last year. At the time, the company did not want to follow the trend and join the wave of producing cheap fashion and clothing. This move was also aimed at maintaining high standards for the quality of the company's products, aiming to clarify that Philipp Plein would never produce counterfeit goods. It is reported that only one hundred pieces of these T-shirts with the word "China" were made, and there was no further production afterward. The company has now moved away from such business thinking.
The spokesperson also mentioned that so far, the company had not received any protest letters regarding this matter. In 2006, fashion specialty stores like KULT and other customers felt that the wording on the T-shirt was inappropriate and stopped ordering more. The spokesperson emphasized that this was certainly not a provocative act against the Chinese people. The company was more focused on the fashion industry and the textile industry. Not long ago, TW Magazine published an article containing opinions from various individuals, some supporting the wording on the T-shirt and others opposing it.