Beyond Blackface: Thai model in shameful homeless-inspired photoshoot

Just when you think you’ve seen it all in Thailand, the ground seems to give way so your jaw can drop just a bit further.

In this week’s WTF news, former winner of Thai modeling show The Face Thailand Season 3, Natthaya “Grace” Boonchompaisarn, 22, from Bangkok, posted an Instagram picture from her latest photoshoot wearing menswear-inspired clothing from top-tier designer Jil Sander.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVgsn8yhJsW/

The wildly ill-advised shot shows the model sprawled on a city street wearing the designer clothes but they are tied around her like rags. She still sports a full face of makeup but grasps a fast food burger bag and holds her hand out as if asking for change.

In front of her is a sign that reads, in English, “Homeless just trying to get through the day any help greatly appreciated. Thank you.”

The Instagram caption reads: “Homeless not Hopeless.”

The regrettable picture has gotten 22,000 likes in 21 hours for Grace, who boasts nearly a half-million fans on her Instagram.

Though many of her fans loved the photo and called it beautiful, other comments included: “This is fucking terrible,” “Worst taste ever,” and, from journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall, “Whose idea was it to pose as a homeless person, dressed in designer clothes, this is appalling.”

It calls to mind Derelicte, the homeless-inspired trash-fashion campaign by Mugatu in cult comedy Zoolander. There’s only one difference though. THAT WAS SATIRE.




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