Fashion chain H&M removes sweatshirt from assortment after accusation of racism
Following fierce criticism of an advertisement perceived as racist, the Swedish fashion chain H&M has removed a controversial hooded sweatshirt from its lineup. Not only is the photo of the garment no longer available, but the sweatshirt itself has also been discontinued.
This was explained by the group on Tuesday on the short message service Twitter. On Monday, the label's website temporarily featured a small dark-skinned boy in a green hooded sweatshirt with the words "Coolest Monkey in the Jungle".
H&M apologized "to everyone this has hurt" and changed the ad. However, a photo of the hooded sweater without the boy initially continued to be available for purchase online. The H&M ad had sparked outrage on the web since Sunday.
Photo composition with crown
US basketball star LeBron James published a photo montage on Instagram on Tuesday, which showed the boy with a crown on his head, the lettering on the shirt was also covered by a crown. To this, the dark-skinned sports star wrote: "I see a young king! The ruler of the world, an untouchable force that can never be doubted!"
African Americans must always overcome obstacles, fight prejudice and work harder for recognition than others, James wrote.
In recent years, corporations have triggered advertising scandals on several occasions: In 2014, the fashion label Zara had to withdraw a pair of striped pajamas with a yellow star that recalled the clothing worn by Jewish prisoners in Nazi concentration camps. Last October, the care products brand Dove felt compelled to apologize after a dark-skinned model mutated into a white one in an advertisement after changing his top. (SDA)
