Fashion House Burberry pull hoodie with noose around the neck from collection
CNN: Fashion House Burberry has apologized for showcasing a hoodie that featured a noose around the neck during its show at London Fashion Week. According to CNN, the retailer said it has removed the item from its collection, after criticism from one of its own models led to an online backlash. The design was criticized by model Liz Kennedy, who featured in the show but claimed her concerns about the use of a noose were dismissed.
“Suicide is not fashion”, said Liz Kennedy.
She went on to say, “It is not glamorous nor edgy and since this show is dedicated to the youth expressing their voice, here I go.”
Riccardo Tisci and everyone at Burberry it is beyond me how you could let a look resembling a noose hanging from a neck out on the runway.
“How could anyone overlook this and think it would be okay to do this especially in a line dedicated to young girls and youth. The impressionable youth. Not to mention the rising suicide rates world wide. Let’s not forget about the horrifying history of lynching either. There are hundreds of ways to tie a rope and they chose to tie it like a noose completely ignoring the fact that it was hanging around a neck. A massive brand like Burberry who is typically considered commercial and classy should not have overlooked such an obvious resemblance, she added.
I left my fitting extremely triggered after seeing this look. Feeling as though I was right back where I was when I was going through an experience with suicide in my family.
She claimed, they briefly hung one from the ceiling (trying to figure out the knot) and were laughing about it in the dressing room. I had asked to speak to someone about it but the only thing I was told to do was to write a letter. I had a brief conversation with someone but all that it entailed was “it’s fashion.
“Nobody cares about what’s going on in your personal life so just keep it to yourself” well I’m sorry but this is an issue bigger than myself. The issue is not about me being upset, there is a bigger picture here of what fashion turns a blind eye to or does to gain publicity. A look so ignorantly put together and a situation so poorly handled. I am ashamed to have been apart of the show. #burberry. I did not post this to disrespect the designer or the brand but to simply express an issue I feel very passionate about”
The online uproar caught the attention of Burberry and they quickly decided to apologize.
Marco Gobbetti, the CEO of Burberry said he called Kennedy to apologize after becoming aware of the product.After the uproar, The show’s designer, Burberry’s chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci finally took note of the situation and apologized, “I am so deeply sorry for the distress that has been caused as a result of one of the pieces in my show on Sunday.” “While the design was inspired by a nautical theme, I realize that it was insensitive. It was never my intention to upset anyone. It does not reflect my values nor Burberry’s and we have removed it from the collection. I will make sure that this does not happen again,” he added. Burberry is the latest fashion house to be embroiled in a racist roar. The Fashion house Gucci and Prada has also been called out about merchandise that is deemed as racist. The musician Katy Perry is also been called out for putting out racist merchandise on the market. Many are asking what is going on with these fashion houses and their executive teams. Why no one on the staff seem to understand the racial undertones of these products. Some argue that the fashion houses need to hire more black designers who would most likely understand that these products may not be appropriate.