A white-skinned Berlin fashion blogger has sparked controversy after dressing up as an Arab ‘Sheikh’ flanked by three niqab-clad women as part of a supposed social experiment to gauge the reactions of salespeople.
Hired actors posed as a sheikh and his three wives, with the footage then being posted online. It was filmed with secret cameras showing his behaviour, which included introducing his 14-year-old ‘wife’, who he says needs some sexy lingerie even though her boobs are not yet big enough, and he asks that staff carry him around.
The footage was filmed at a luxury goods store in Hamburg which was not named, and starts with a recording of a call from the fake sheikh’s secretary to inform the Hamburg store that he is arriving.
Video Credit: CEN/ Dandy Diary
As he turns up in the car, staff from the shop are standing outside with umbrellas to welcome him inside. Speaking English, the sheikh then introduces his wives Rashida, Safire and Amira – telling them “Please don’t talk to them, talk to me.”
On the way they pass a man begging on the street, and the sheikh asks if it’s normal. He is told: “Yes, it is and it’s legal.” He later comments that he prefers real life, which you see in the store, rather than to real life which you see outside with beggars.
When inside he says he wants lingerie for his newest wife – Amira. He is told lingerie is on a different floor, and when told that not all of his wife’s will fit in, he says they can walk and it’s a good workout for them.
In the lift, he tells the employee that his newest wife Amira is going to be 15 soon. Asked what size she is and if they can take a measurement, he says that nobody is allowed to see her – adding: “it’s a young body, she has no boobs. Only I am allowed to see her”
He then says he will use his imagination to work out what will fit her.
While purchasing the lingerie he makes lots of outrageous comments like how generous he is buying fashion for his wives even though only he will see it – but he wants to make them happy with pretty things, and adds that there is from there is a saying: “Don’t dress your horse better than yourself.” But he adds he is generous so he does it anyway.
Shortly after he then complains of an itch, and asked one of the staff to scratch is back, saying they should move their hand up and down and he will move his body to make sure the itch is scratched.
He then also holds the hand of the shop worker, telling him that in his country it’s okay for men to hold hands, and it doesn’t mean they are homosexual.
And finally, he asks the staff to carry him out to his car, and two of them obligingly lift him to the elevator. The video ends with him being taken out to the car still being carried by the two shop workers to be placed in his car.
During the whole trip, the only time the staff questioned the sheikh about anything was when he tried to light a cigarette, and they warned him that the fire alarms might soon go off
The video ends with a note saying that according to the global Islamic economy report 2018 and 19, the amount was spent on fashion was US dollars 270 billion in 2017, and is forecast to grow by five percent US dollars 361 billion by 2023.
At the end of the visit, the ‘sheikh’ purchased nothing but said his assistant would be getting in touch to place his order.
The blogger behind the film titled ‘Fata Morgana’ writes: “Fata Morgana is a satire. But a satire of what? Is it a satire of the culture of the Sheikh? Is it possible for the white man in 2019 to do a parody of Arabic culture, in order to expose the weaknesses of the white man’s capitalist system”
The video was reshared by several German media organisations including the bestselling Bild but many criticised it, such as ‘Kristin Kerten’ who wrote on the blog’s Facebook page: “This is simply an embarrassing and degrading video made at the expense of simple salespeople.”
And ‘Yasin Lakroucha’ wrote: “Embarrassing and really the last straw. But today everybody has Internet access and a hidden camera and thinks it makes them super clever. So clever, that they want to upload any old rubbish. As long as the title is something along the lines of “social experiment” that has to be clever and intelligent.”
And ‘Dilan Perera’ echoed the thoughts, saying: “Simply stupid. These are salespeople that have to do everything because they don’t have any choice. You should make an experiment with people who have nothing to lose.”
A spokesman for the department store declined to comment.
David Kurt Karl Roth produced this video for the Dandy Diary fashion blog, which is known to be provocative and controversial.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Michael Leidig, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.