The famous Spanish fashion brand Zara pulled their advertising images when critics noticed it resembled recent photos showing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The images for Zara’s line of jackets included what the company called “unfinished sculptures in a sculptor’s studio.” The campaign featured photos of model Kristen McMenamy standing in front of a broken drywall. Some shots showcased mannequins with limbs missing or wrapped in white fabric or plastic on the floor, that is oddly similar to body bags.
I still can’t believe that @zara staged a white body bag as seen in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people- as a PROP in a PHOTOSHOOT
You know fascism is alive and well when GENOCIDE is what rings in the holidays
— Honey Makwakwa (@HoneyTellAStory) December 10, 2023
@ZARA is mocking Muslims and the genocide carried out by @Israel in Gaza in its latest campaign including what appears to be bodies wrapped in a white body bag reminiscent of traditional Muslim burial attire.
The campaign also features rocks, rubble, and a cardboard cut-out… pic.twitter.com/D1JYZ1BXEY
— Umair (@Dr_MianUmair1) December 10, 2023
@ZARA is mocking Muslims and the genocide carried out by @Israel in Gaza in its latest campaign including what appears to be bodies wrapped in a white body bag reminiscent of traditional Muslim burial attire.
It is time to #Boycottzara enough is enough pic.twitter.com/AVm2wzLODo— 🇸🇦🇮🇰🇦 (@SaikaSmarty) December 14, 2023
Mocking Gaza is not acceptable!!
Boycotting Zara for life time
Shame on Zara#BoycottZara pic.twitter.com/p8YOUJd3Gv— Shamaeem (@Shamaeem31) December 12, 2023
@ZARA The product video in the name has been created and is targeted at Gaza, Palestine. #zara created videos on Gaza people and Palestine, Shouldn't have done such a stupid thing, You can't make such videos on anyone.boycott all of them #boycottZaraProduct @CPMumbaiPolice pic.twitter.com/PeeVjUsp63
— Association Workers (@right_work7) December 14, 2023
‼️BOYCOTT ZARA‼️
“Maybe if your people were educated then they wouldn’t blow up the hospitals and schools that Israel helped to pay for in Gaza…I will NEVER stop defending Israel and people like you come and go in the end.” – Vanessa Perilman, Head Designer for Zara pic.twitter.com/AURSAKNv0E
— ARiskyTaxi (@ARiskyTaxi) December 9, 2023
This campaign provoked a protest on social media with people comparing the images of the scenes from Gaza war. Some people noted that one of the pieces of the broken drywall looked an upside-down map of Palestine.
Disgusting editorial campaign by Zara was posted today featuring white shrouded bodies, limbless mannequins, broken concrete, a pine box similar to Muslim coffins, powdery substance some say is like white phosphorus + broken drywall shaped like an upside down Palestine map! pic.twitter.com/5PAYfa9vD6
— Samira Atash (@samiraatash) December 9, 2023
I KNOW I’m not reaching, it took me afew minutes to see it, but it’s there, the map of Palestine is subtly there. Along with the body, the string infront of the wardrobe ‘trapping’ her in, the hands on the door, the rubble… @ZARA you are complicit. pic.twitter.com/b3xiVF3kEe
— 🍉 (@asthmafc) December 10, 2023
Zara posted an apology statement on Instagram this week and said that the campaign was conceived in July and photographed in September. This was a month before Hamas launched a series of attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
View this post on Instagram
“Unfortunately, some customers felt offended by these images, which have now been removed, and saw in them something far from what was intended when they were created,” the fashion brand said in a statement on Instagram. “Zara regrets that misunderstanding and we reaffirm our deep respect towards everyone,” they added.
The company said that the campaign was created “with the sole purpose of showcasing craftmade garments in an artistic context.”
Zara acknowledged the offense critics made from the images and said these people “saw in them something far from what was intended when they were created.” They removed the ads after listening to the comments.
According to UK’s advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority, the campaign reportedly received 110 complaints.
Diet Prada, an Instagram page which calls for accountability in the fashion industry, posted the controversy and stated how the ad campaign divided the internet.
View this post on Instagram
Some commenters acknowledge that the company may have thought and went through with the campaign before the hostilities began in October. They stated that Zara should have scrapped the ads after the conflict took place.
On the other hand, some said that they cannot see the connection between the campaign and the war and other people may have overanalyzed the photos too much.
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