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20th Feb 2019
British fashion house Burberry has issued an apology for featuring a hoodie with a noose around the neck at their London Fashion Week AW19 show.
The show, which took place on Sunday, was heavily criticised on social media by onlookers and even models who walked the show. Model Liz Kennedy, who took part in the show, chastised the brand in an Instagram post writing: “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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The model said that it was insensitive of the brand to put forward such a design in a collection which was directed at young girls — a demographic which already has a high rate of suicide. Having experienced suicide in her own family, she said she felt “triggered” at the fitting after seeing the design and asked to speak to someone about it but was told to write a letter instead.
She continued: “The issue is not about me being upset, there is a bigger picture here of what fashion turns a blind eye to or does to gain publicity. A look so ignorantly put together and a situation so poorly handled. I am ashamed to have been a part of the show.”
CEO of Burberry Marco Gobbetti said the brand was “deeply sorry for the distress” and added that the design (which the brand says was inspired by the marine theme which ran through the collection) was “insensitive and we made a mistake.”
Designer Riccardo Tisci also apologised and said that “while the design was inspired by a nautical theme, I realise that it was insensitive”.
Related: Irish designer Richard Malone delivers an exciting AW19 collection at LFW
The hoodie has since been removed from the collection, which was called ‘Tempest’.
This is the latest in a string of criticisms over insensitive designs which have hit fashion designers in recent weeks. Gucci recently pulled a jumper which was criticised for resembling blackface and Katy Perry removed two designs from her shoe range which were seen as racist.
Photo: Twitter