Burberry apologises over 'noose' hoodie, axes it from collection

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Feb 20, 2019

Burberry has become the latest high-end label to apologise after an item in its collection was deemed to be offensive and insensitive.

Its London fashion week runway show on Sunday featured a hoodie with a tie that resembled a noose. A model had complained in person and via Instagram both before and after the show, suggesting that the noose referenced lynchings and also made light of suicide.

Model Liz Kennedy had appeared in the Burberry show, but hadn’t worn the top in question. On Instagram she said: “Suicide is not fashion. It is not glamorous nor edgy and since this show is dedicated to the youth expressing their voice, here I go. Riccardo Tisci and everyone at Burberry it is beyond me how you could let a look resembling a noose hanging from a neck out on the runway.

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“A massive brand like Burberry who is typically considered commercial and classy should not have overlooked such an obvious resemblance. I left my fitting extremely triggered after seeing this look. Feeling as though I was right back where I was when I was going through an experience with suicide in my family.”

In recent years, social media has amplified any criticism brands receive and allows it to spread globally ultra-fast. Both Gucci and Prada have also fallen foul of criticism on social media recently, the former withdrawing a sweater last week that was said to resemble blackface imagery, while Prada faced its own blackface issues during December and withdrew a number of products from its Pradamalia line.

Back with Burberry, CEO Marco Gobbetti said Tuesday that he was “deeply sorry for the distress” the design had caused. The top has now been axed from the collection and all imagery of it removed.

Riccardo Tisci insisted that the rope’s inspiration was actually nautical, but also admitted that he should have realised “it was insensitive”.