BAD HAIR DAY: Lemaire landed in hot water in China over the weekend following the release of a campaign for its first olfactory collection.

Online controversy sparked by several editorial images, one featuring a model sensually playing with a Qing Dynasty-style long braided hair, a still-life image of the braided item placed next to a scissor and another of the item hanged on top of a button-down shirt.

The French fashion brand drew criticism from Chinese netizens that questioned the appropriateness of the brand’s usage of these historical symbols, as well as its “spooky editorial direction,” wrote one Chinese netizen on Xiaohongshu, the popular social commerce platform.

“As a longtime Lemaire fan, when I saw the braid accessory and how it was displayed, especially the one next to a scissor, I was utterly disappointed. Always trust your instinct when you come across cultural content that makes you feel uncomfortable,” wrote a Chinese netizen called @crossingnote.

“How come such a cultured brand has no budget to hire a local Chinese consultant?” @crossingnote continued in a separate post. The posts have received more than 11,000 likes on Xiaohongshu and TikTok combined at the time of publication.

The incident spread rapidly a day after the release of the images. The brand has since disabled the comment section on Instagram and deleted related posts on both Instagram and Xiaohongshu.

However, the item, a scent diffuser made of handwoven linen that releases notes of dry hay with deep amber, is still available for purchase on the brand’s official website.

The “Objets Senteur” campaign’s braided imagery appears to echo Lemaire’s earlier Chinese New Year of the Horse collection, which featured braided horsehair on its signature croissant bag. The imagery drew similar unease from Chinese netizens at the time — one commenter likening it to imagery from Hong Kong ghost stories.

“We acknowledge the concerns raised regarding the recent release and imagery of Tresse from the Objets Senteur collection, a handwoven linen object, in beige, brown and black tones, designed to carry fragrance, and sincerely apologize for the concern and discomfort it may have caused,” Lemaire said in a statement sent to WWD on Sunday.

“Tresse was developed as part of the Objets Senteur collection’s exploration of material, texture and form. We recognize, however, that its presentation in this context was not sufficiently considered and has caused concern and discomfort,” the statement read.

The brand added it “always intend[s] to approach each project and creation with cultural respect, understanding and integrity” and that it was “never our intention to reference any specific culture or to cause offense, as such outcomes are not aligned with our values.”

“However, we recognize that we did not exercise sufficient awareness in considering how this piece might be perceived, particularly in light of diverse cultural perspectives and sensitivities,” it continued. “We sincerely appreciate the thoughtful feedback from our Chinese audience and will take this as an important opportunity to further strengthen our cultural sensitivity review processes.”

A similar statement was posted in Chinese and English on its Instagram Stories, which is blocked in the country. This drew further negative commentary from fans about the ephemeral format, which disappears after 24 hours.

The controversy comes at a crucial moment for the brand, which began accelerating its China business with the unveiling of a flagship — its largest to date — in Shanghai.

Unlike most international brands that prioritize Shanghai or Beijing as their first retail home, Lemaire chose Chengdu Taikoo Li for its debut in China.

The Chengdu store, which opened in November 2024, was seen as a testing ground for the brand in China. According to industry data, the store generates average monthly sales of about 7 million renminbi, or around $1 million.

– With contributions from Lily Templeton (Paris)