Spanish retailer Zara has apologized and pulled a recent campaign after some online compared its content to images of grieving civilians in Gaza, which have been circulated online since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7. The comparisons led activists to call for a boycott of the retailer.
In some of the photos of the now-pulled “The Jacket” campaign, model Kristen McMenamy is surrounded by debris as well as mannequins wrapped in white plastic and others with missing arms and legs. According to Zara, the campaign — for its Atelier line, which includes more expensive garments — was meant to resemble a sculptor's studio, but many felt the timing was insensitive given the horrific images of the destruction and devastation coming from Gaza.
Shortly after the online response, Zara pulled the images from distribution, including on its website and social media, and issued a statement on its official Instagram page. “The campaign, that was conceived in July and photographed in September, presents a series of images of unfinished sculptures in a sculptor's studio and was created with the sole purpose of showcasing craftmade garments in an artistic context,” the company wrote on Instagram.
“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,” the brand continued. “Zara regrets that misunderstanding and we reaffirm our deep respect towards everyone.”
Prior to the statement, the hashtag #BoycottZara was trending on Twitter/X. Instagram users have also flooded the brand's comments echoing the sentiment.
See Zara's full brand statement below.
