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  1. #1. The Story About Vivienne Westwood Racist & Zendaya
  2. #2. What Actually Happened?

"Vivienne Westwood Racist": Old Story With Zendaya

Searching for the story about Vivienne Westwood racist? When I think of Zendaya and the 2015 Academy Awards, I can't help but feel a pang of embarrassment every time. Not because she did not appear to be a goddess; she dominated the attention on that red carpet.
The then 18-year-old looked magnificent in her white off-the-shoulder Vivienne Westwood gown and her beautiful false dreadlocks, displaying her Blackness on a predominantly white stage and making us extremely proud. However, this makes me squirm because of how badly she was treated by the reporters of E"Fashion !'s Police," Giuliana Rancic and Kelly Osbourne. They made a joke on television that Zendaya presumably smelled like patchouli oil and that her dreads surely smelt like "weed."

#1. The Story About Vivienne Westwood Racist & Zendaya

Vivienne Westwood Racist Source: Getty Images
Regrettably, more information on the event has surfaced, and this time it concerns her stylist's challenges in obtaining the garment she wanted. According to Jonathan Valencia, a former employee of Vivienne Westwood, who took to Instagram to share his story, he almost got fired for getting Zendaya's stylist, Law Roach, that iconic white gown because a manager at Westwood's store allegedly did not like dressing Black celebrities. Jonathan Valencia is a former employee of Vivienne Westwood.
"My boss, who is ironically a person of color herself, came up to me one day and told me to stop dressing and pitching pieces to Black celebrities.because that wasn't the press that we wanted in Los Angeles," said the current owner of Pechuga Vintage. "My boss told me to stop dressing and pitching pieces to Black celebrities because that wasn't the press that we wanted."
It is now unknown if the manager acted erratically in response to a direct direction from Westwood herself; nonetheless, Valencia stated that the manager, who was subsequently sacked, had a troubled history.

#2. What Actually Happened?

Vivienne Westwood Racist
The "Vivienne Westwood Racist" story is the misunderstanding? Since it was the same woman who had previously made statements that were homophobic and classist, I wasn't the least surprised to learn that she was also a racist. I recall that when Law requested this Westwood dress for Zendaya as a last-minute choice, I had to steal it from under everyone's noses so she could wear it. After all, it had the potential to get me fired."
He had to slip away the outfit that Vogue praised as being "one part Lisa Bonet, one part Venus de Milo, and all very grown-up" so that Zendaya could wear it. Vogue said that the dress was a combination of Lisa Bonet and Venus de Milo (which is to say, all very un-Disney). Zendaya, we are going to be keeping a close watch on you. Although it has been five years since then, it is quite evident that very little has changed in Valencia at that time.

 

It isn't very pleasant to realize that so little time has passed and so little progress has been made in the fashion business. Because of what, exactly, do people of color from the fashion industry continue to be tokenized, underpaid, and underrepresented? Why are people of color unable to afford fashion or make it appear presentable enough to sell to others? What makes you think that's a good idea? This is a rhetorical question to which we are all aware of the response. Therefore, it is time to continue the conversation and give something back.
In addition to coming forward with his story, Valencia discovered the clutch that Zendaya wore in 2015 and is now selling it. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated to The Okra Project, which is a nonprofit organization that offers resources and meals to Black Trans people all over the world. While all is going on, Westwood has not yet responded to Valencia's accusations.
It is hoped that her immediate response will not be to demonstrate to everyone how many black friends she has or how many celebrities of color she has personally dressed throughout her career.
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