Fashion giant Zara is facing calls for a boycott today from pro-Palestinian activists over its latest advertising campaign.
Critics accused the retailer of insensitivity towards deaths in war-torn Gaza after images from the fashion shoot featured mannequins with missing limbs and a model in a wooden box and surrounded by rubble.
Other images, which now appear to haven been removed from the firm’s Instagram page, show supermodel Kirsten McMenamy posing with mannequins wrapped in white cloth and plastic.
Some users said they were similar to the photos taken in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war, of dead bodies wrapped in white shrouds.
The campaign for the Spain based fashion giant quickly received a wave of backlash online, with posts branding it ‘shameful,’ ‘disgusting’ and a ‘mockery’, with #BoycottZara trending on X.
Artist Hazem Harb wrote in an Instagram post: ‘There is a sinister depravity in the commercial mind that produced this ad, while we are living a real time genocide.
‘Using death and destruction as a backdrop for fashion is beyond sinister, its complicity and should outrage us as consumers. Boycott Zara.’
Fashion giant Zara has come under fire for its new campaign that features a mannequin wrapped in white plastic and surrounded by rubble
Social media users took to X to criticise the campaign, referring to it as ‘shameful,’ ‘disgusting’ and a ‘mockery’. These two images have been deleted from their Instagram page after they were compared to photos of dead bodies in Gaza
Shoppers walk past a Zara shop window at Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona, Spain today
Sarah Wilkinson wrote on the social media platform X: ‘Boycott Zara after its new clothing collection features rubble and bodies, mocking the 1,000s of Palestinians being massacred by Israelis in Gaza.’
Ahmed Shihab-Eldin said that Zara had won ‘the award for most tone deaf brand of the year’.
One user posted a side-by-side of the Zara campaign image and a woman suffering in the Gaza-Israel conflict.
One user posted: ‘You are disgusting!! Boycotting you forever!! Free Palestine.’
One user posted a side-by-side of one of the photos from Zara’s campaign and an image of a woman suffering in the Gaza-Israel conflict
Another wrote: ‘The most disgusting propaganda campaign ever inspired by the killing of Palestinians and the destruction of their homes. Shame on you.’
In Montreal, Canada, activists sprayed Zara stores with pro-Palestinian slogans.
Zara has described the new clothing line on its Instagram page as: ‘A limited edition collection from the house celebrating our commitment to craftsmanship and passion for artistic expression.’
It comes one month after Marks & Spencer’s came under fire for their Christmas advert and were forced to apologise.
Social media users compared the images in the campaign as resembling photos taken in Gaza during the recent conflict
Palestinian man grieves over the body of a relative wrapped in a shroud labelled with a name, at the Najjar hospital in the southern Gaza Strip. Social media users today said these images were similar to those used in the Zara campaign
Pro-Palestinians claimed the retailer’s festive advert, depicting the burning of paper hats and crackers, were in the colours of the Palestinian flag and were insulting to its people.
One of the stars of the M&S advert, Queer Eye super-stylist Tan France, accused social media users of making ‘ridiculous comments’ because the ad was filmed in August – two months before the Israel-Hamas war broke out.
A statement issued by a spokesperson for M&S read: ‘Today we shared an outtake image from our Christmas Clothing and Home advert, which was recorded in August.
‘It showed traditional, festive coloured red, green and silver Christmas paper party hats in a fire grate.
Marks & Spencer was forced to apologise for a light-hearted image of Christmas hats being burned after critics pointed out they were the colours of the Palestinian flag
M&S apologised for the outtake image from their Christmas advert – which they said was recorded in August
‘While the intent was to playfully show that some people just don’t enjoy wearing paper Christmas hats over the festive season, we have removed the post following feedback and we apologise for any unintentional hurt caused.’
Israeli designer Dodo Bar Or also had her clothing lines removed from Net-a-Porter and MyTheresa after she was accused of posting a video comparing terror group Hamas to ISIS.
The BDS Movement – which stands for boycotts, divestments and sanctions – has been urging supporters to put ‘pressure’ on companies that are perceived as being supportive of Israel.
An Instagram post named McDonald’s as one of the chains it was targeting alongside a host of other high street names.
A McDonald’s in Keighley, West Yorkshire, was struck by yobs draped in Palestinian flags last month, who shoved their way inside before releasing stick insects.
Video of the apparent aftermath appears to indicate that its windows were also smashed.
Meanwhile, protesters released mice into three McDonald’s branches in Birmingham, with some filmed calling for a ‘boycott’ of the chain.
Zara has been contacted for comment by MailOnline. They have yet to release a public response to the criticism.
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