On Tuesday, the fashion brand Zara expressed regret for the “misunderstanding” surrounding an advertising campaign that depicted statues wrapped in white, leading to calls for a boycott from certain pro-Palestinian activists. The company acknowledged the controversy, stating that it had taken down the images and offered an apology for the “distress” they may have caused. Thousands of complaints flooded Zara’s Instagram account, often accompanied by Palestinian flags, while the hashtag #BoycottZara gained traction on the messaging platform X.
The images showed a model, Kristen McMenamy, posing with mannequins and statues that were missing limbs and shrouded in white. They were posted to Zara’s 61.6 million Instagram followers. They were criticized for resembling the images of rubble and destruction emerging from war-torn Gaza, where more than 18,000 people have died in Israel’s three-month assault on the territory.
Zara’s parent company, Inditex, which also owns Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, and Stradivarius, did not comment on the boycott calls but said removing the photos was part of a routine process for refreshing content. It did not say whether the decision was made in light of heightened sensitivity over the Gaza war. The “Atelier” collection, featuring six jackets, remains available on Zara’s online platforms.
The company said it had listened to customers and that the campaign, conceived in July and photographed in September, was meant to play on craftsmanship and unfinished sculptures. It said the statues were wrapped in white, intended to resemble kaftans, a garment traditionally worn to mourn loved ones after they are killed.
However, critics said Zara had misread or misunderstood the sensitivity of the situation and exacerbated a preexisting perception that the brand is insensitive to the Palestinian cause. In one popular video on TikTok, users of the social media app criticized the campaign for appearing to mock the war and its victims and urged Zara to remove the campaign.
The campaign was pulled on Monday after backlash and complaints to Britain’s advertising watchdog. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received 110 complaints that the pictures of the mannequins and statues were offensive and inappropriate.
Zara has been pressured to respond to the Gaza war, as boycotts against other brands have grown in popularity. The incident highlights the challenges facing global brands in navigating the political climate and avoiding controversy with sensitive social issues.
