Fast fashion retailer Zara has come under fire for a new campaign that some say is insensitive to people in Gaza.
There are calls for a boycott of the Spanish brand after a photoshoot for its 2024 Atelier range showed mannequins wrapped in white fabric and models standing amid rubbish from freight boxes, which some said resembled war rubble and coffins. One controversial image in particular showed a model with one of the mannequins balanced on her shoulder.
Some have claimed the campaign is inspired by the war in Gaza, where thousands have been killed since October 7, because the images look similar. Piles of bodies wrapped in white sheets have become a familiar sight in the conflict.
Israeli forces have killed more than 17,700 people in Gaza since Hamas launched a surprise attack last month, according to Associated Press. Hamas killed 1,200 people in Israel in the original attack and took about 240 hostages back to Gaza.
Following the backlash, some of the images appeared to be deleted from Zara's social media, but remained on its website. Newsweek contacted Inditex, Zara's parent company, by email for comment.
"@ZARA's new marketing campaign uses designs inspired by the ongoing genocide in Gaza to promote a new collection. coffins, destruction, corpses, and glorifying killing. Zara faced boycott calls a year ago after its hosted their local agent the Israeli leader with a thirst for killing Palestinians and Arabs, Itamar Ben Gvir, at an election event," one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Another added: "ZARA recent campaign exploiting a genocide & commodifying Palestine pain for profit is disgusting Shame on you brand @ZARA for stooping so low prioritizing greed over humanity & pretending it was harmless Deleting posts afterward magnifies awareness of harm."
And a third wrote: "Shameful act@ZARA #BoycottZara is not just a call for action; it's a plea for basic human decency. There seems to be a void of humanity in these actions, and it's crucial to stand united against such exploitation."
It is not the first time Zara has come under fire for issues relating to Israel and Palestinians.
Zara also faced calls for a boycott in 2021 when it was revealed one of its head designers had sent a Palestinian model an anti-Palestinian message via DM on Instagram.
Model Qaher Harhash said Vanessa Perilman, Zara's head designer for the women's range sent him the message after his pro-Palestinian stance on Instagram.
"Maybe if your people were educated, then they wouldn't blow up hospitals and schools that Israel helped to pay for in Gaza," a screenshot of the alleged message read.
"Also I think it's funny that [you're] a model because in reality that is against what the Muslim faith believes in and if you were to come out of the closet in any Muslim country you would be stoned to death."
Harhash then posted those messages online, leading to a call for a boycott of Zara, and he later claimed Perilman sent him more messages apologizing out of fear of losing her job and her children's safety.
The model also said Zara had asked him to share Perilman's apology publicly, but he refused.
"If Zara wants to make a statement with me, they also need to address Islamophobia. When certain fashion designers said anti-Semitic things, they were fired from their jobs," he wrote on Instagram.
"So far, Vanessa Perilman hasn't been fired."
Harhash added: "For me an apology means to fully acknowledge the pain or suffering you caused someone. She came into my DM's wrote hateful comments, why should I accept a half assed apology?"
More recently Zara was slammed after the owner of its Israeli franchise hosted the country's hardline right-wing national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, at a campaign event.
Joey Schwebel, a Canadian-Israeli dual national and chairman of Zara Israel, hosted Ben Gvir at his home in Ra'anana, according to the Times of Israel.
Following the event, Palestinians were seen burning clothes from Zara and calling for a boycott of the brand on social media.
Ben Gvir is the head of the far-right nationalist party Otzma Yehudit, which translates to Jewish Power. He has been indicted 53 times for violations that included racial incitement, violent acts and supporting a terrorist organization. He was also convicted of eight criminal offenses that included such violations.
Shortly before Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated, Ben Gvir stole the emblem of Rabin's car, presented it to TV cameras, and said: "Just like we got to this symbol, we can get to Rabin."
Yigal Amir, a right-wing extremist, assassinated Rabin on November 4, 1995.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Shannon Power is a Greek-Australian reporter, but now calls London home. They have worked as across three continents in print, ... Read more
