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Takuya Kimura’s 18-Year-Old Daughter Slammed For “Disrespecting The Kimono” In New Photoshoot

The images have since been deleted from Valentino’s website.

The images have since been deleted from Valentino’s website.

The images have since been deleted from Valentino’s website.

Japanese superstar Takuya Kimura’s daughter Mitsuki Kimura is widely acknowledged as one of Japan's top models and has appeared in many high profile photoshoots. The 1.7m-tall 18-year-old, who is better known as Koki, is reportedly so busy with work, she has no time to attend school.

But we guess she probably wishes she had skipped work to go for class after what happened recently.

Her new shoot with fashion house Valentino is said to be based on 1979 Japanese cult film Grass Labyrinth and was highly anticipated by her fans and fashion lovers.

Sadly, she ended up receiving major backlash after the images were posted on the brand’s homepage earlier this week.

1 of 2 These were the photos that caused a stir

Koki was accused of disrespecting the kimono because two of the images show Koki standing on a kimono sash, also known as an obi. The obi is an important part of the kimono and high-quality ones cost more than the rest of the kimono.

Japanese netizens took Koki's pose as a blatant disregard for Japanese culture, and that the model “should have known better”.

One netizen said, “Perhaps the people who were planning the photoshoot didn’t know that the kimono should be treated with respect. But Koki has no excuse. She knows full well what she’s doing.”

Another added, “Shaming your culture for the sake of earning money. There are boundaries that you shouldn’t cross, even in the name of art.”

2 of 2 Screenshots of the shoot are still circulating online

Valentino has since removed the images from their website and they have released an official response to the issue. In the statement, Valentino clarified that the visuals “unintentionally feature the model sitting or stepping on a Japanese fabric which recalls a traditional obi and involves her wearing shoes on the doorstep or inside a Japanese traditional home. The fabric unwittingly resembles the Japanese traditional obi and Maison Valentino deeply apologises for any offence caused.”

They added that the brand is “committed to nurturing a culture of inclusion on a global scale that respects the individuality of every single member of the Community, artistic work, designs and artistic craftsmanship”, and that they “would like to turn this event into a powerful learning moment for the brand and its Community”.

Photos: PBE Media

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