Last month, it was Forever 21 in hot water for its accidental Nazi tee. Now, it’s Zara’s turn to feel the wrath of the internet. The apparel retailer designed a denim skirt that featured a graphic that looked awfully familiar to consumers, Pepe the Frog.
According to The Cut, the shredded denim skirt in question was a part of its “Festival Edition” line. Now it’s possible Zara did not realize this cartoon frog has been seen as the hate symbol for the alt-right movement by the Anti-Defamation League. However, it’s hard to believe that no one recognized the likeness before the skirt hit store shelves.
Zara has not responded to the criticism, but it seems the retailer has pulled the skirt from its online store.
It’s easy to give the Spanish company a pass when it comes to this mistake, but this isn’t the first time Zara has messed up. Back in 2014, the company sold this T-shirt and this T-shirt—upsetting a lot of customers.
Oh, Zara, when will you learn? As promotional apparel suppliers and distributors, you know how important it is to double- and triple-check any new promotional products for potential controversies. But when you’re working in the business of fast fashion like Zara, it can be more difficult to make quality control a top priority.
