Zara Has Apologized For Sharing A New Campaign That Resembles Scenes Of Destruction In Gaza
Spanish-owned fashion brand, Zara, has apologized after it shared a new campaign that resembled scenes of destruction in Gaza following heavy online backlash that it was insensitive.
Spanish-owned fashion brand, Zara, has apologized after it shared a new campaign that resembled scenes of destruction in Gaza following heavy online backlash that it was insensitive.
On Monday Dec. 11, Zara put out photos to advertise its newest collection on its website and app that showed models standing in a workspace that was under construction, with destroyed boxes, drywall, dust and rubble.
The model is surrounded by statues, some of which are missing limbs and others wrapped in white cloth.
In one of the photos, a model is carrying a mannequin wrapped in white cloth on its shoulders, while in others, a wrapped mannequin lies at her feet.
Thousands of people online immediately said the photos looked like the scenes of destruction and death in Gaza caused by Israel’s airstrikes.
Some people said that the mannequin wrapped in white cloth resembles the corpses of killed Palestinians wrapped in white cloths in Gaza.
The hashtag #BoycottZara then started trending on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In Tunisia and Scotland, videos emerged of people protesting the insensitivity of the campaign in front of Zara stores.
In Tunisia’s capital, demonstrators gathered outside a Zara shop to protest against the brand’s recent advertising campaign https://t.co/fBZqEhATpM pic.twitter.com/vDCdQ7OfUd
— The National (@TheNationalNews) December 13, 2023
Zara later removed the campaign from its the website and app and issued an apology on Instagram, saying it “regrets the misunderstanding” and reaffirms its ”deep respect to everyone”.
“The campaign, that was conceived in July and photographed in September, presents a series of images of unfinished sculptures in a sculptor’ studio,” Zara explained
It added its purpose was to showcase “craftmade garments in an artistic context”.
This is not the first time Zara has been criticized in regard to the relationship between Palestine and Israel.
In 2021, a Zara designer, Vanessa Perilman, was criticized for harassing a Palestinian model who voiced support for Gaza.
“Maybe if your people were educated then they wouldn’t blow up the hospitals and schools that Israel helped to pay for in Gaza,” Perilman wrote, according to The Cut.
At that time, Zara issued a statement condemning her comments, but it is unclear if the company took other disciplinary actions.
how disgusting the world we live in,
— نور 🇵🇸 (@noor_a25) December 9, 2023
how disgusting humans are when there is no humanity. #BoycottZara pic.twitter.com/u4F10hF5No
Recently, people around the world have also started boycotting other international brands including Coca-Cola and McDonalds after sharing their pro-Israeli views or refusing to pull out of Israel.
