Burberry debuts a hoodie with a noose around the neck!
Just a few weeks before, Gucci was the subject of widespread outrage for this turtleneck that went viral for its likeness to blackface. Before that Prada pulled this five hundred and fifty dollar monkey keychain, after a social media post went viral claiming it mimicked racist imagery.
"Unfortunate things like that happening actually really does open up the conversation and make people much more aware." Anna Wintour - Editor in chef of Vogue.
The backlash has been Swift, with some celebrities making public declarations to boycott the designers.
View this post on Instagram
The labels acted quickly to remove the controversial products and issued apologies knowing their bottom line could be at risk.
This ad by Dolce & Gabbana triggered huge backlash in China last fall, the designers pulled the campaign and canceled its runway show, still no stars wore them at the Oscars, and some Chinese media reportedly opted out of covering the brand.
The fashion expert Imran Amed says these moments highlight a much bigger issue: "Just look at the board composition of any of the major fashion brands around the world, and you'll you'll be hard-pressed to find any person of color, whether that be an Asian person or a black person or someone from South Asia where these you know these brands are really growing. what I'm hoping is that the industry really kind of follows up on their words and you know puts their you know actions against the words and commitments they've made." Imran Amed - Editor in chef, Business of Fashion.
Some brands are taking further steps make changes, Prada created a diversity Council while Gucci announced long-term initiatives to bring in diverse talent, including scholarships and hiring.
As designers try to put their best foot forward they know the world will be watching if they stumble.