Chinese Dolce & Gabbana model apologises for part in race row

A Chinese model who featured in a Dolce & Gabbana promotional video attacked for being culturally insensitive has apologised for her role in the production, more than two months after the firestorm erupted.

The controversy arose in November after the Italian fashion firm posted short clips on Instagram showing a woman eating pizza and spaghetti with chopsticks, which critics said was offensive to Chinese culture.

It escalated after screenshots emerged of an Instagram user's chat with the famously mercurial co-founder Stefano Gabbana, who used smiling poop emojis to describe China and launched insults at the country and its people.

"For not properly interpreting the proper way of holding chopsticks, I express my deepest regret," model Zuo Ye wrote in a lengthy post put up on Monday on the Weibo social media platform.

"I appreciate the fact that this isn't just my personal action, but that I am representing the image of our country, and of Chinese culture so I am racked with guilt, deeply apologetic, and will definitely improve my decorum in future."