Project Two

Gucci’s $890 black wool balaclava resembling blackface

In 2019, Gucci faced controversy over a black wool balaclava sweater that was sold for $890. The sweater covered most of the wearer’s face and had a small opening around the mouth with large red lips. After pictures of the sweater were shared online, customers and members of the public criticized the design because it resembled images associated with blackface. Blackface has a history of using exaggerated facial features to portray Black people in a racist and offensive way. The controversy occurred during Black History Month, which increased public attention to the product. The issue involved Gucci, its customers, social media users, and members of the public who expressed concerns about the design. The criticism spread online and led to discussions about racism, cultural sensitivity, and diversity in the fashion industry. Gucci responded by removing the sweater from its stores and website and issuing an apology. The controversy lasted through the period of public criticism and the company’s response. The situation mattered because it affected Gucci’s public image and raised concerns about how products are reviewed and approved before being sold to customers.

Formal Complaint Letter 

Nadia Najera

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

University of New Mexico, 1700 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, 505-277-0111

 

September 15, 2026

 

Gucci Headquarters

Via Tornabuoni 73/r,

50123 Florence, Italy

 

Dear Gucci Customer Service,

I am writing to express my concern about Gucci’s $890 black wool balaclava that was sold with a design many people felt resembled blackface. The sweater covered most of the face and had a small opening around the mouth with large red lips. Because of these features, many people connected the design to racist blackface imagery. The product was especially concerning because it was sold during Black History Month, a time when people recognize Black history, culture, and the struggles Black communities have faced.

I understand that Gucci may not have intended for the sweater to represent blackface. However, the way a product affects people is also important. Gucci is a large and well-known fashion company, so it has a responsibility to think about how its products may be viewed by people from different backgrounds. A stronger review process could help identify designs that may be offensive before they are released. This is important because carefully reviewing products could prevent similar situations from happening again.

Gucci also needs to consider the values it represents to its customers. If Gucci wants to be seen as a company that supports diversity, equality, respect, and inclusion, its products should reflect those values. Selling a product that many people viewed as resembling blackface, especially during Black History Month, did not appear to match those values. Customers should be able to trust that a company they support respects people from different backgrounds and cultures.

I am asking Gucci to take responsibility for this situation and explain what changes will be made to prevent something similar from happening again. The company should continue improving its product review process and include people with different backgrounds and experiences when reviewing new designs. This could help Gucci recognize concerns that may not be obvious to everyone involved in creating a product.

This situation does not have to be remembered only as a mistake. Gucci has an opportunity to learn from what happened and rebuild trust with its customers. Taking responsibility and making meaningful changes would show that Gucci is serious about diversity, inclusion, and respect.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my concerns. I hope Gucci will use this experience to make better decisions in the future.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Customer

 

Formal Response Letter 

Gucci Customer Service, Via Tornabuoni 73/r, 50123 Florence, Italy

 

September 15, 2026

 

Nadia Najera

University of New Mexico 

1700 Lomas Blvd

Albuquerque, NM 87106

 

Dear Concerned Customer,

Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns about Gucci’s black wool balaclava. We understand why the design was offensive to many people and why it was compared to blackface. We recognize that the black face covering, small opening around the mouth, and large red lips could bring up painful and offensive images for members of the Black community.

We sincerely apologize for the hurt and disappointment caused by this product. Although the design was not intended to offend anyone, we understand that our intentions do not change the impact it had on people. We should have thought more carefully about how the design could be viewed before it was released.

If Gucci does not learn from this mistake, then we are not doing enough to show respect to all of our customers. We understand that being a successful fashion company also means listening when customers tell us that something we created caused harm or made them feel disrespected.

Gucci is committed to values such as diversity, inclusion, equality, and respect. The sweater did not represent those values, and we take responsibility for that. We also understand that our customers need to know that their concerns are being heard instead of being ignored or dismissed.

We appreciate customers who speak up, even when their feedback is difficult for us to hear. Their feedback helps us understand where we need to improve. Moving forward, Gucci needs to do more to consider cultural awareness and diversity when reviewing products and designs.

We will use this situation as an opportunity to improve our internal review process and continue working toward a more diverse and inclusive company. We know that rebuilding trust takes more than an apology. It requires us to make changes and show through our actions that we are serious about learning from our mistakes. Thank you again for bringing your concerns to our attention.

Sincerely,

Gucci Customer Service

 

Report Reflection Memorandum

Date: September 18, 2026

To: Professor Ari

From: Nadia Najera

Subject: Project 2 Status Report and Reflection

For Project 2, I chose the controversy about Gucci’s $890 black wool balaclava. Many people felt the sweater looked like blackface because it covered most of the face and had large red lips around the mouth. The situation was also more serious because it happened during Black History Month. My purpose was to explain the problem and show how the same situation could be written about from two different points of view.

My two audiences were a concerned customer and Gucci. For my complaint letter, I wrote as a customer who was upset about the sweater. I explained why the design could be offensive and focused on respect, equality, and inclusion. For my response letter, I wrote as a Gucci representative. I included an apology and explained how the company could listen to customers and learn from the situation.

One thing I learned from this project is that the audience affects how you write. I had to use a different tone for each letter. I also used reasoning-based and values-based persuasion to explain my ideas.

One challenge I had was making the letters sound professional without making them too complicated. I wanted them to sound realistic and easy to understand. Revising my work helped me make my ideas clearer and better organized.

Overall, this project helped me understand that professional writing is not only about what you say. It is also about knowing your audience and choosing the right tone and purpose.