No trace of the blue striped t-shirt, adorned with a yellow star, on Zara’s site. The Spanish brand was forced to withdraw this product from sale after strong criticism from Internet users …
Bad buzz for Zara this Wednesday August 27! Following the surge of criticism from Internet users on social networks, especially on Twitter, the Spanish brand was forced to remove from its website a T-shirt from its “Back to school” collection.
This model for children, called “double-sided sheriff”, at 12,95 euros, created an uproar on the web. In question: a yellow star sewn on the left side.
For many, this badge in question is much too similar to the yellow star worn by the Jews in the concentration camps. In a press release, Zara explains that “the design of the t-shirt was only inspired by the sheriff’s star from the western movies as specified in the presentation of the garment.. The original design has nothing to do with the connotations associated with it, i.e. with the yellow star that the Jews had to wear in Germany and other countries occupied by the Nazis during the Second World War and the vertical striped uniforms of concentration camp prisoners ”, explains the spokespersonAnd. ” We understand that there is a sensitivity about this and of course we apologize to our customers, ”she added.
I admit, if I had seen this product in the store or on the website, I certainly would not have made the connection, at first glance, since it is clearly written sheriff on it.. In addition, the ends are round. Moreover, I know that each brand tries to reinvent the striped sweater with different buttons, crests to differentiate itself. But on closer inspection, I can understand the indignation of some. A yellow star on the chest… the resemblance can be disturbing.
In 2012, Zara had already made controversy with one of her bags bearing a symbol similar to a swastika. The brand defended itself by specifying that it was in reality an Indian svatiska. It was certainly true. Unfortunately, this sign is much less well known in the West. The truth problem is that the same symbol can refer to different images depending on the history of each. For example, I had found the collection of jewelry called “Slave” by Mango, released in March 2013 in France, intolerable. The brand, which subsequently withdrew its products from sale, had also drawn the wrath of consumers and anti-racist associations.
Advice to stylists and creators therefore: before selecting an emblem, check its origin and its historical meanings at the risk of offending part of the population, (even if, the latter must also strive not to see evil everywhere, in this already anxiety-provoking society). And that only comes down to one detail: a name, a color… It’s true, if the star had been brown, it would certainly not have caused such a scandal…
Elsy