Dolce & Gabbana Withdraws Controversial Ad

Dolce & Gabbana Ad - www.adrants.com

After widespread criticism from various sectors, Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana have finally relented and will be pulling its controversial ad which is seen as condoning violence against women.

The ad, which shows men casually looking on as a woman is pinned down by the wrists by another man, has sparked criticism from the Spanish government, Italy’s self-regulatory advertising body IAP, Amnesty International and other human interest groups. The textile workers' division of Italy's largest trade union, CGIL, has even gone to the extent of calling for a boycott of all Dolce & Gabbana products on March 8, International Women's Day.

The Italian designers, while deciding to pull the ad, maintains in an emailed statement that they never intended to “offend anyone or promote violence against women" that they were just “looking to recreate a game of seduction in the campaign and highlight the beauty” of their collections.