Protests by Vietnamese Stymie Sales of Victoria’s Secret Buddha Bikinis
Calitoday, News Report, Compiled by Peter Micek, Posted: Apr 20, 2004
Sales of a new Victoria’s Secret swimsuit featuring Buddhist images have been halted internationally after Vietnamese Americans voiced disagreement with designs, according to Vietnamese-language media. A similar model by company OndadeMar no longer is available through its website.
One of OndadeMar's summer 2004 styles is called the "Baby Buddha Bikini." A new Victoria's Secret bathing suit uses the Buddha's image on the bikini top.
“This way of doing business offended a lot of Buddhists,” said Nam Nyugen, editor of Calitoday, a Vietnamese-language newspaper in San Jose, Calif.
The debate over the brands' use of Buddha was partly catalyzed by the attention U.S.-based Vietnamese media have given to the matter.
Calitoday has published two articles on the controversy after readers called and wrote the companies in protest. Buddhists around the world have reacted actively to the issue, said Calitoday editor Nam Nyugen.
Customer Thuy Nyugen was quoted as saying in Calitoday, “Buddha and Buddhism signify the ultimate respect in religion and play a vital role in our everyday lives. To have Buddha, or anything associated with religion for that matter, printed on and worn to cover up private parts is the ultimate insult.”
One day after posting its articles online, Calitoday received a call from Victoria's Secret, which is owned by the Columbus, Ohio-based Limited Brands Inc., saying sales of the “Asian Floral Tankini” bathing suits were stopped thanks in part to their protest.
OndadeMar has removed a picture from its website, Nyugen said, of a model wearing the two-piece swimsuit with Buddha’s image on the front of the bikini bottom.
To place an image of Buddha in this spot is improper, he said. “It would offend followers if you put Jesus or Muhammad on that location on a swimsuit,” he said.
It is unclear whether the OndadeMar bathing suit can still be ordered by mail through the print catalog.
Addressed to Victoria’s Secret, an email from Calitoday reader Kieu Trang reprinted by Calitoday reads: “I was really offended seeing this summer’s catalog, ‘The Hot Issue, Swim 2004, Mexico.’ There was a swimming suit with pictures of Buddha and [enlightened beings] Bodhisattvas on the tank [top].”
“I am a loyal customer of Victoria’s Secret,” Trang said, “but just seeing that makes me think differently. Pictures of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are sacred things which we never use to put on clothes.”
In a letter addressed to Victoria’s Secret reprinted on Calitoday.com, Thu Dinh wrote, “I'm a big fan of your brand, but really disappointed to see your new bikini collections with Buddha pictures. Something very sacred should not be used inappropriately like that.”
Emails have been circulating in San Jose’s large Vietnamese community calling for a boycott of the clothing companies, said Minh Do, a Vietnamese lawyer in the area.
“It reminds me of Abercrombie and Fitch,” Do said.
That clothing company came under fire for shirts that read “Two Wongs Can Make It White” and included caricatures of people with slanted eyes doing the wash.
A caption in the Victoria’s Secret summer 2004 catalog next to the “Tankini” swimsuit mentions reaching nirvana, said Minh Do. Nirvana is an enlightened state of being in the Buddhist religion.
“Give me a break!” he says, referring to the suggestion that nirvana can be reached through clothing. “How shallow can you get?”
It is not a matter of being politically correct, Do says. “It’s just a matter of respect.”
Do was glad to see the pictures were removed from the Victoria’s Secret website. “The Vietnamese do have a little bit of muscle,” he said.
His community, Do says, is slightly more sensitive to such cultural issues than other Asian groups, possibly because they are more recent immigrants to the United States. Hopefully, he said, the pictures were taken down from the websites for reasons of social responsibility, rather than the companies’ concern for the bottom line.
“I read some of the responses (from Victoria's Secret),” he said, referring to the company’s answers to emails appearing on Calitoday.com. “They were not apologetic.”
Victoria's Secret did not return a call for comment. Calls to an OndadeMar number in Miami were not answered.
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User Comments
Victoria Nguyen on May 12, 2004 at 04:24:31 said:
I already sent a letter to Victoria's Secret. I am one of the troop leaders of G.D.P.T.H.Q. and until now, Victoria's Secret did not respond to my letter and demand of a public apology. I believe we should boycott the products and the company until Victoria's Secret complies with our demand of a public apology. We have to be strong and stand up straight. We are not afraid of the power of the money or political involvement.
The reason why we should boycott because we don't want this to happen again, not only with Victoria's Secret, but with other companies too.
Khaing Ko on May 06, 2004 at 18:30:28 said:
Victoria Secret insults our Great Buddha and all of his followers. When we saw the nearly nude woman wearing this tankini with the picture of Buddha printed on which, we are greatly disappointed.
We encourage all customers of Victoria Secret, to boycott all of their products until they stop this insulting work.
Soe Than on May 06, 2004 at 18:29:11 said:
I strongly oppose your insulting upon our Lord Buddha. You should not do like that for any reason.
We can't accept your wrong action for your own sakes, to be harmful to others' religion.
Tin Truong on May 05, 2004 at 10:49:09 said:
An image of Buddha or any other religious symbols are inappropriate for swimwear or any type of clothings of this nature. I'm sure it was intented to offend anyone, but it still shows a lack of consideration, not to mention respect for all religious people in this world
in general, and specifically for all those who
holds Buddha in the highest regard. It's useless
though, to be mad and respond with angry words,
one must just be aware that ignorance is
prevalent in this world, and we must all try to
reach out and help others be more aware of such
things, and thus be less ignorant. Hopefully, a
good in this would be that some would learn from
it and we won't see this sort of things anymore.
One can only hope.
Lay on May 04, 2004 at 06:45:47 said:
This comment is to VS and whoever designs the bikini with Buddha image.
What would you feel if you see your religious symbol in bikini? Be considerate, and respect others' believe. That is the greatest insult to Buddhism. You must stop selling, recall the product and apologized to all Buddhism.
BodTree on May 01, 2004 at 21:23:16 said:
To KEVIN TRAN:
This is not about materialism, but about good education and gratitude towards our Masters. I am sure that you will be not happy if your find your ancestors’ faces printed on bikinis, especially when you are Vietnamese (Asians) unless, you have lost your roots.
To “BODHISATTVA”:
1. Buddha although having a sense of humor, won’t smile at this “so called by you as incident”, because His LOVE and WISDOM is immense and He foresees the bad karma created by Victoria Secret’s people.
2. Not all Buddhists are enlightened. Like you, for example: Could you have some sense of humor if your parents & relatives are hurt in front of you? Could you be indifferent in front of such an “incident” (!), thinking that it is just an insignificant “attachment”?
3. Every action has a good or bad Karma. Please never forget about it.
To VICTORIA SECRET ‘s CEO / President:
You have stopped advertising and selling the mentioned items. It is good. But you should make a public and very sincere apologize to recognize your fault and never repeat again such a sacrilege although Buddhism is a very tolerant religion. It will help your Karma and regain the hearts of your lost customers.
Diane Hong on May 01, 2004 at 04:20:32 said:
I'm a fan of Victoria Secret, but after this fiasco, how can I shop at a store that "disrespects" and "disgraces" another's religion. I have given credit to Victoria Secret in the past as being a top-notch, classy, quality line of products, however..... I am NOW wrong! BOYCOTT VICTORIA SECRET PLEASE!!!!!!
a student on Apr 30, 2004 at 05:58:40 said:
The notion of "sacred" is about narrowing and
closing one's mind; it's cowardly attachment to
an unchallengeable idea -- the opposite of Buddha's teaching: "Believe nothing, O monks, merely because you have been told it...or because it is traditional, or because you yourselves have imagined it."
Bodhisattva on Apr 28, 2004 at 14:26:31 said:
You can\'t compare Buddha to Jesus, because Buddha never claimed to be god. But Buddha did have a sense of humor, and he would have smiled at this whole incident. It shows that many people still suffer from Attachments - in this case, an Attachment to the \"sacredness\" of a picture, or to the \"inappropriateness\" of its placement. Sidhartha is right: the Dharma is infinitely bigger than a silly piece of clothing.
yo yo on Apr 27, 2004 at 08:42:50 said:
How would you feel when Jesus or your gods or your religous belief be on a dirty house carpet or even on toilet paper and a bikini..VS should take that product off the market...Shame on you Victoria Secret.
kelly nguyen on Apr 27, 2004 at 02:47:33 said:
It is very shameful how the VC tries to use the image of sacred buddha for their profitable motive. I want the VC to stop production. I thik everyone who against this, should give them a email and let them know our thoughts.
Kevin Tran on Apr 27, 2004 at 00:53:13 said:
Then don't buy it... I understand how it can be seen as disrespectful, but "private parts" are just parts of a body correct? They are irrelevant to what the greater truth of getting to Heaven. This only shows the materialism that you have in which all of you have been so called against! Material is nothing, what you think about it is good! But to make such a big deal out of such a trivial thing is so superficial! Get over it!
N.T. on Apr 26, 2004 at 14:36:56 said:
Bluntly speaking...
Before things hit the market, decisions have to be made through more than a dozen people perhaps. or at the very least is half a dozen people in the company. well...i can't believe that there wasn't anyone in the company that opposed against the design of buddha on an intimate wear. it disturbs me that most people lack sense of ethics. does anyone concur?
Thai Tran on Apr 24, 2004 at 06:34:04 said:
I'm very angry to see the bikini made by Victoria’s Secret with a picture of the Buddha on a very inappropriate spot. What if they put a picture of Jesus in that area? I'm pretty sure they never thought of that. Buddhism is a religion and should be respected like any other religions. These damn designers at Victoria’s Secret are thoughtless.
bill byford on Apr 23, 2004 at 14:48:35 said:
Who could have come up with something like The Buddha on a bathing suit? I like to shop VS for the wonderful soap, but no more; unless there is a public admission of the silly, but perhaps innocent, trampling on a sacred tradition. Blessings to all at Victoria's Secret, and may their consciousness be elevated and their enlightenment be obtained.
khanguyen on Apr 22, 2004 at 16:05:31 said:
vicroria's secret had gone too too far.........they should not uses the buddha 's image on the bikini....or any relegious image
kimnguyen on Apr 22, 2004 at 15:45:38 said:
i very strongly urge victoria's secret company
to immmediately remove the product from the market and recall all sold items . i truly appreciate your understanding
Sidhartha on Apr 21, 2004 at 08:49:25 said:
The Buddha wished to be seen in the Dharma, and not individually. Thus, after the Buddha and the Dharma were one, an image, a thing perishable and with little expanse, could not represent him, for the image could capture his anatomy but not him who as Dharma was a reality beyond time and space. The ocean could not be contained in a bowl.
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