Zara, luxury fashion brand, is under fire as boycott Zara is trending all over social media. Read on to know what is the Israel-Hamas connection.
The world of fashion is not just about colours, changing trends and experiments. This realm has it’s share of controversies. Recently, #BoycottZara has been trending all over the social media. Zara pulled an advertising campaign featuring mannequins with missing limbs and statues wrapped in white from the front page of its website and app on Monday after it prompted calls by some pro-Palestine activists for a boycott of the fashion retailer.
What is the Boycott Zara Controversy?
Zara’s Instagram account saw tens of thousands of comments posted about the photos, many with Palestinian flags, while “#BoycottZara” was trending on messaging platform X. There is an uproar amongst the pro-Palestine activists who shared images on social media citing similarities between the scenes from war zones and photoshoot of Zara models. For some, it was a mockery and underestimation of the doire state in war-hit zones.
In one of the photos a model is pictured carrying a mannequin wrapped in white, in another a bust lies on the floor and another features a mannequin with no arms. Critics said they resembled photos of corpses in white shrouds in Gaza.
Zara’s collection that sparked a controversy. The posts have now been taken down
Netizens React to Zara Controversy
Videos of a protest at Zara store is going viral on social media.
Zara is getting the Starbucks treatment 👏 #Zara #ZaraBoycott #BoycottZara #StrikeForGaza pic.twitter.com/hEZoc76Ol8
— Romaan Shaikh (@RUMAANSHAIKH) December 12, 2023
One X user posted,
ZARA recent campaign exploiting a genocide & commodifying Palestine pain for profit is disgusting
Shame on you brand @ZARA for stooping so low prioritizing greed over humanity & pretending it was harmless
Deleting posts afterward magnifies awareness of harm🇵🇸#BoycottZara pic.twitter.com/Ar0EGG85LS— Khadija (@khadijatweets_) December 11, 2023
Zara on Controversy?
According to a report by Reuters, Inditex (ITX.MC), which owns Zara, said the change was part of its normal procedure of refreshing content. It did not comment on the boycott calls, but said the “Atelier” collection was conceived in July and the photos were taken in September. The war between Israel and Hamas began after Oct. 7.
After getting so much hate, Zara has taken down all the posts related to their campaign and issued a public apology on their official Instagram account.
Zara said at the launch of the collection on Dec. 7 that it was inspired by men’s tailoring from past centuries. The photos appear to show an artist’s studio with ladders, packing materials, wooden crates and cranes, and assistants wearing overalls.
The reaction highlights heightened sensitivity international brands are navigating as fighting across Gaza intensifies and calls for company boycotts rise. The CEO of Web Summit resigned in October after comments he made on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Other Fashion Brands in Political Troubles
According to a report by Al Jazeera, “In 2022, some Palestinians posted videos of them burning Zara clothes and calling for others not to support the retail giant after a franchise owner Itamar Ben-Gvir
of Zara stores in Israel hosted a campaign event for the ultra-right-wing Israeli politician in his home.
It’s not the first time an advertising campaign has landed a fashion label in controversy. French luxury group Kering last year set up a group level position to oversee brand safety after advertising images from its label Balenciaga featuring children sparked a backlash that dented sales.
Dolce & Gabbana was removed from ecommerce sites in China in 2018 after a campaign showing models struggling to eat typical Italian food with chopsticks — decried as racist by local celebrities and social media.