Korean-Owned Forever 21 Now Sells ‘Oriental Girl’ Necklaces

by Justin Fenner | 12:55 pm, November 1st, 2011

It’s bad enough to sell merchandise that’s offensive to a group of people you have no connection with, but it’s a whole other level of insensitivity to sell something that pokes fun at the ethnicity you come from.

That’s exactly what’s happening at Forever 21, the fast fashion retail chain owned by the Korean Chang family, where you can now buy an “Oriental Girl Necklace” for the low, low price of $1.50. The necklace is a metal pendant in the shape of a young girl with sporting one of those supremely Asian double bun hairdos and a face painted stark, blinding white like a geisha.

We’ve had our own problems with Forever 21′s flagrant abuse of major copyright and trademark laws in the past, but for an Asian business to sell a necklace that supports Asian stereotypes sort of takes the cake, don’t you think? Calling Asian people Oriental has been offensive since the early 1900s — and one of the the reasons it went out of style in the first place is because using Oriental to refer to all Asian people at once sort of diminishes the fact that there are nearly 50 countries (yes, we’re including Russia in that count, so sue us) and God knows how many smaller ethnic and linguistic groups that qualify as Asian. All this necklace does is boil those three billion or so human souls into one cheap piece of metal that costs less than you spend on Starbucks every morning. It’s kinda sad.

And even sadder still when you remember that the family that wants you to buy this necklace is Korean.

But it doesn’t stop there. Our friends at Fashionista point out that the Changs are also selling an “Native American Girl Necklace” — you know, to cash in on all that good will Urban Outfitters has been fostering with its line of “Navajo” products.

Sigh. Another day, another round of offensive products. What do you think is coming next?

[Fashionista]

Chang Family Forever 21 Oriental Girl Necklace Things That Are Offensive

Anonymous

this looks almost identical to a little charm made out of clay given to me by a korean friend of mine from Korea as a memento from her culture.
Justin Fenner

Then it should be called a KOREAN necklace, shouldn’t it?
http://www.delectablychic.com CynthiaC.M.

Gwen Stefani should sue them – they look like a bad imitation of her harajuku dolls.

By the way, many old Asian people prefer “oriental” over “Asian.”
Batman

not. making. fun.
http://www.monster-island.net/ kushibo

I think the author should find a better phrase than “like a geisha” before chiding the Korean Chang family about ethnic sensitivity.

Just sayin’.
trueb

who cares… I’m Korean and it looks cute to me
Vanessa

this isn’t news. they’ve been selling these necklaces for over a year now. and if a couturier had designed them, everyone would probably think they were adorable. since nobody else is complaining, it seems as though news outlets are trying to stir up controversy.
Ming Wu

You must be trying hard to be offended by something kawai like this.

If this is offensive to you, then I’m offended by manga characters and katryusha dolls.

Here are some more things for you to be offended by.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8693454@N06/4031788482/

http://katycrayon.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/kokeshi-box.jpg

http://www.japanla.com/blog_images/1285/hkgeishablog.jpg
http://www.facebook.com/christina.schafer2 Christina Schafer

My sister in law is from the Philippians she wants this necklace and said it is adorable she told me she doesn’t really understand why the necklace is so offensive
Tina

Sigh.. it’s sort of funny how people who have no relation to this get so upset when the people who do have relation to it get upset.
I’m Korean and I don’t have any problems with this.. I think it’s cute, and people don’t think of it as more than a cute necklace.
savannahsz19

but no one was offended by Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku line ? some of the characters look exactly like that necklace.

Korean-Owned Forever 21 Now Sells ‘Oriental Girl’ Necklaces

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