Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
To promote the new designs of the Zara Atelier line, the company published a series of photos on its Instagram profile last Sunday, December 10th.
A doll wrapped in a white cloth, a woman carries it over her shoulder and rubble in the background. In one of the photos, a doll is lying on the floor, wrapped in a white cloth. There are men in white overalls, destroyed statues and American model Kristen McMenamy in various black outfits.
Some social media users saw the images as a reference to the war in Gaza. Perhaps this is because some sculptures are missing limbs and others appear wrapped in a white cloth, as is common in the Islamic burial tradition.
The company did not comment on the matter for several days, but on Tuesday the 12th, after mass calls for a boycott, Zara finally spoke out on Instagram and began to talk about a misunderstanding.
The negative reaction prompted the brand to delete the photos, hide the images from the website and post an apology on Instagram: “Zara regrets the misunderstanding and reiterates her deepest respect for everyone,” the apology reads.
The fashion company also denied that the associations with the war were intentional. According to Zara, the campaign was conceived in July and the photos were taken in September and was intended to depict unfinished sculptures in a sculptor's studio, “with the sole aim of presenting handmade garments in an artistic context.”
It is not the first time that the company has been embroiled in controversy and has been the target of boycott attempts by activists.
In Brazil, the manager of the Zara store in Fortaleza was accused of racism for approaching a black police officer who was blocked as he attempted to enter the store. After the case, there was a boycott campaign against the company.