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The French luxury house has confirmed that it will no longer work with its brand ambassador.
On July 19, Louis Vuitton announced on Weibo that it was suspending its relationship with Wu, after he was accused of predatory behaviour by Du Meizhu, a woman claiming to be one of his victims, on July 8. Other brands Wu endorsed, like Porsche and Bulgari, cut ties with him soon after, while Lancôme and Kiehl’s removed mentions of the singer from their online accounts. Wu and his team have denied the allegations.
An official local police report, published on Weibo on July 22, has since detailed findings of an ongoing investigation. The post states that Wu’s team invited girls to his home for a gathering and to have sex on the pretext of an interview; Wu and Du had met more than once and kept in touch until April 2021. The police are still investigating the claims relating to Wu’s alleged sexual abuse.
Further Reading: How to Avoid Brand Ambassador Controversy in China
Navigating China’s celebrity ecosystem has always been a high-risk, high-reward gamble for global luxury brands, but the stakes are even higher in this volatile, politically charged year.
