Fast fashion giant Zara is facing calls for a boycott after its latest campaign features a maimed mannequin surrounded by rubble, drawing comparisons to horrifying footage from the war-torn Gaza Strip.
The hashtag #BoycottZara trended on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, December 11, after social media users criticized the brand for its latest fashion campaign, “The Jacket,” featuring supermodel Kristen McMenamy. I started doing it.
Some X users noted similarities in the devastating images coming from the Gaza Strip, where nearly 18,000 people have been killed during the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war.
In one photo, McMenamy is seen carrying a mannequin draped in a white cloth. Other photos show the American model posing amid rubble, in a wooden box and surrounded by statues that have lost her limbs.
This “tone-deaf” photoshoot has been criticized for comparisons to war victims, who are typically wrapped in plain white cloth in accordance with Islamic tradition.
Zara’s parent company Inditex has not commented on the criticism.independent person There was no response to a request for comment.
A source close to Zara said: iNews He said the campaign was pre-planned, adding: “This was probably very bad timing.”
The side-by-side comparison photos were widely shared on microblogging platforms, with several people criticizing the retailer’s insensitive campaign as the war in Gaza enters its third month.
Palestinian artist Hazem Harb commented on Instagram: “Using death and destruction as a backdrop for fashion goes beyond evil to being complicit, and as a consumer, we should be outraged.”
“Goodbye Zara,” wrote Indonesian actor and fashion designer Zaskia Sunkar, who has more than 31 million followers on Instagram.
Journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin commented: “And this year’s most tone-deaf brand award goes to Zara.”
Another tweet read: “The ZARA brand mocked the plight of oppressed Palestinians and their martyrs in their advertising campaign. Let’s all boycott this hypocritical and insensitive ZARA brand.”
Calls to boycott ZARA’s “tone-deaf” fashion campaign reportedly began on Sunday (December 9) after images were posted online.
according to iNews Activists reportedly spray-painted pro-Palestinian slogans on some Zara stores in Montreal, Canada.
A source close to Zara told the newspaper that the campaign had been planned in advance and that “this was probably very bad timing.”
The clothing brand describes the controversial new campaign as “the house’s limited-edition collection that celebrates its commitment to craftsmanship and passion for artistic expression.”
Amid the recent controversy, some social media users resurfaced comments on Instagram that ZARA executive Vanessa Perilman sent to Palestinian model Kahel Harhash two years ago.
Pro-Palestinian advocate Harhash shared screenshots of messages exchanged with Perilman following the bloody 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas in 2021.
When Perilman and Zara sent the following message to Harhash, there was an outcry online.
“Israelis, like their own people, do not teach their children to hate soldiers or throw stones.”
At the time, Inditex, which controls Zara, distanced itself from Perilman’s comments, adding: “We do not tolerate any lack of respect for any culture, religion, country, race or belief.”
“ZARA is a diverse company and will never tolerate discrimination of any kind,” the $120 billion company added. “We condemn these comments, which do not reflect our core values of mutual respect, and regret the offense they have caused.”
independent person has reached out to a ZARA representative for comment.