LEMAIRE Apologizes After Being Accused of Disrespecting China: Failed to Fully Consider Cultural Differences and Sensitivities
Recently, French fashion brand LEMAIRE has been caught in a public relations storm due to a promotional campaign for a series of scented objects called Objets Senteur. The brand's promotional photos, featuring long braids, long shirts, and scissors, were questioned for having disrespectful connotations towards China, sparking strong dissatisfaction among netizens.
Public information shows that LEMAIRE was founded in Paris, France in 1991, with Christophe Lemaire, the former creative director of Hermès, as its founder. The brand is centered on French minimalism. In July 2018, a minority stake in LEMAIRE was acquired by Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo.
It is worth noting that LEMAIRE has been actively expanding in the Chinese market in recent years. In January of this year, LEMAIRE opened its largest global flagship store on Wukang Road in Shanghai. In addition, the LEMAIRE Sanlitun Taikooli flagship store in Beijing officially opened in March 2026.
This evening, LEMAIRE released an official statement apologizing. “We have noted the recent discussions surrounding the Tresse object and its presentation within the Objets Senteur series. Tresse is a work of art made of hand-woven linen, used to hold fragrances. We sincerely apologize for the doubts, discomfort, and distress caused by the object and its visual expression this time.”
LEMAIRE stated, “We also realize that during this release and presentation, we failed to fully consider the perceptual differences and sensitivities that may arise in different cultural contexts. As a brand facing a global, multicultural audience, we are deeply aware of the more prudent responsibility we should bear in creative expression. This feedback is very important to us, and we have begun to reflect on and adjust our internal processes to further enhance cultural awareness and responsibility, and strive to avoid similar situations from happening again.”
LEMAIRE also said, “We sincerely thank our Chinese friends for their long-term attention to the brand, and we thank everyone for their candid feedback on this incident. We will take this incident as an important opportunity for reflection, proactively strengthen internal cultural review processes, and demand more prudence, clarity, and respect in future communication and creation.” (Yan Yan)