Zara said on Tuesday it regretted the “misunderstanding” over an advertising campaign featuring mannequins with missing limbs and statues wrapped in white that triggered calls for a boycott by some pro-Palestinian activists.
“Unfortunately, some customers felt offended by these images, which have now been removed, and saw in them something far from what was intended when they were created,” Zara said in a post on its Instagram account.
That account had seen tens of thousands of comments posted about the photos, many with Palestinian flags, while “#BoycottZara” was trending on messaging platform X. Critics said the images resembled photos of corpses in white shrouds in Gaza.
“Zara regrets that misunderstanding and we reaffirm our deep respect towards everyone,” Zara said. Six posts showcasing the campaign were scrubbed from Zara’s Instagram page.
Zara said at the launch of the collection on Dec. 7 that it was inspired by men’s tailoring from past centuries. The photos appeared to show an artist studio with ladders, packing materials, wooden crates and cranes, and assistants wearing overalls.
By Helen Reid; Editors: Andrew Heavens and Kirsten Donovan
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Zara Pulls Advert From Website Front Page After Gaza Boycott Calls
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.
