Fashion giant Burberry has apologized after featuring a hoodie with a noose around the neck during its showcase at London Fashion Week, spark a wave of outrage over insensitivity towards suicide and racism.
One of its own models, Liz Kennedy, lambasted the brand for whom she is an ambassador, decrying both main connotations of the offending noose, saying: “Suicide is not fashion... Let’s not forget about the horrifying history of lynching either.”
Kennedy wrote that she was “extremely triggered” by the hoodie, recalling her own family’s experience with suicide, and claims she was told to write an email when she tried to complain in the dressing room during the show.
Burberry CEO Marco Gobbetti apologized on behalf of the brand saying Burberry was “deeply sorry for the distress” caused and that “It was insensitive and we made a mistake.”
“We will reflect on this, learn from it and put in place all necessary actions to ensure it does not happen again,” he added in a written statement.
The hoodie appeared the catwalk on Sunday as part of Burberry’s ‘Tempest’ collection and has caused a flood of outrage online ever since, with many highlighting the recent slew of offensive gaffes in the fashion industry including Katy Perry’s blackface shoes, Gucci’s blackface jumper and Zara’s holocaust shirts, among others.
READ MORE:Racism or just an ugly shoe? Katy Perry’s new ‘blackface’ footwear sparks outrage
Not all online were entirely convinced of the allegedly racist overtones of the garment, but agreed it was insensitive nonetheless. Others called for a boycott of the fashion brand.
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