Zara removes striped pyjamas with yellow star following online outrage

originally posted by: FlyersFan

The following is my opinion as a member participating in this discussion.

I would have pulled it because it's ugly ... not because of the alleged Auschwitz similarities.

As an ATS Staff Member, I will not moderate in threads such as this where I have participated as a member.

There is nothing "alleged" about the similarities to an Auschwitz uniform, the features are obvious.

What is "alleged" by me is the deliberate copying of the Auschwitz uniform to initiate discussion of anti-semitism.

This is TYPICAL JDL Modus Operandi.

a reply to: Psynic

Really? Look at this kids top below, it's red and white stripes with a sheriffs badge. now what to red and white stripes have to do with a sheriff? NOTHING! the same as the blue and white pajama top ( although blue and white stripes are quite common for pj products) Its a flipping kids little top that doesn't have to make sense! all it has to do is appeal to kids and look cute!



I highly doubt that there was as you put it 'a deliberate copying of the Auschwitz uniform to initiate discussion of anti-semitism.' It was more a case of a clothes designer thinking, 'hey that looks good, nice and bright, that'll make a nice kids pajama set' I actually feel sorry for the designer because I doubt they thought they would have to deal with these outlandlish accusations during their years at fashion design school.

originally posted by: Lady_Tuatha
a reply to: Psynic

Really? Look at this kids top below, it's red and white stripes with a sheriffs badge. now what to red and white stripes have to do with a sheriff? NOTHING! the same as the blue and white pajama top ( although blue and white stripes are quite common for pj products) Its a flipping kids little top that doesn't have to make sense! all it has to do is appeal to kids and look cute!

I highly doubt that there was as you put it 'a deliberate copying of the Auschwitz uniform to initiate discussion of anti-semitism.' It was more a case of a clothes designer thinking, 'hey that looks good, nice and bright, that'll make a nice kids pajama set' I actually feel sorry for the designer because I doubt they thought they would have to deal with these outlandlish accusations during their years at fashion design school.

Thanks for posting that example of a Five pointed Sheriff's badge.

It makes the use of the 'Star of David' all the more obvious.

Sorry. I'm the last person to get bent but this is just poor thinking. Hell, throw some red in there and make it patriotic. Oh, wait. Then there's another group that would complain.

People might also be remembering the swastika handbags sold by the same designer. Their explanation for that one was that they did not see the symbol when they selected the item for sale. It is possible that didn't help them in the perception of this shirt.

I am wondering on what planet sheriff's wear stripes myself.

Haven't we all created a concentration camp of the mind? I'm breaking outta mine.

a reply to: Psynic

Pretty much what I was thinking. Its a totally half-assed design. It was just a coincidence what it turned out like but i find it comical even though it is understanding why someone would be offended since this is one of the rare cases it actaully does fit the description.

a reply to: Psynic

lol dont be ridiculous! The majority of sheriff badges are made up of a six pointed star! Just google them if you don't believe me!

below is a antique replica of one


so I suppose they were trying to rile up anti-semitic discussion also? ....yup, those pesky sheriffs

edit to add - and looking at this replica it looks like it may have been the design inspiration/template used for the offending kids pj top sheriff badge.

That JP top looks like something you would put an autistic 5 year old son to bed.
Probably intended to inspire the Zebra horse of a different color association, not prison bars but still.

originally posted by: ketsuko
People might also be remembering the swastika handbags sold by the same designer. Their explanation for that one was that they did not see the symbol when they selected the item for sale. It is possible that didn't help them in the perception of this shirt.

I am wondering on what planet sheriff's wear stripes myself.

Those handbags were manufactured in India and inspired by commonly used Hindu symbols, which include the swastika. ( hard to believe for some people but it was not solely used by the nazis) but looking at the picture I see how it was easy to miss. As for the sheriffs wearing stripes, it is pajamas! stripes are quite common on pj's, well here anyway, and have you ever been to a kids clothes store? not much of the designs make sense

I am one who loathes those who complain about little things that are like this normally while being silent on far more important real issues. However, I say normally, because Zara does have a history of Nazi like fashion items...
Zara bosses forced to withdraw 'Swastika' handbags from shelves

A bag embroidered with Nazi-style swastikas was withdrawn by fashion store Zara today after a rush of complaints.

Bosses were forced to apologise and withdrew the £39 bag immediately. The bag - which also features flowers and bicycles - has four green swastikas at each corner.

I mean...even the angle is exactly matching the Nazi swastika



Adding photos to bolster already reported issue by ketsuko

originally posted by: Lady_Tuatha

originally posted by: ketsuko
People might also be remembering the swastika handbags sold by the same designer. Their explanation for that one was that they did not see the symbol when they selected the item for sale. It is possible that didn't help them in the perception of this shirt.

I am wondering on what planet sheriff's wear stripes myself.

Those handbags were manufactured in India and inspired by commonly used Hindu symbols, which include the swastika. ( hard to believe for some people but it was not solely used by the nazis) but looking at the picture I see how it was easy to miss. As for the sheriffs wearing stripes, it is pajamas! stripes are quite common on pj's, well here anyway, and have you ever been to a kids clothes store? not much of the designs make sense

It's the angle that makes the difference...
2nd

Huh.

So. It's ok to bitch about something that reminds of something that happened years ago yet if someone raises questions about the near genocide occurring in Israel, well, you know what happens.

originally posted by: TheSpanishArcher
Huh.

So. It's ok to bitch about something that reminds of something that happened years ago yet if someone raises questions about the near genocide occurring in Israel, well, you know what happens.

Neither are ok, and quite frankly, if someone wants to sport such fasion items, they have the right to. However, if a company receives negative feedback for producing such eerily similiar Nazi symbology, not once but twice, and is forced to remove them, that's capitalism/consumer choice in action. Some things are just dumb though like that store that was "forced" to remove a bacon sign because one muslim lady complained...I actually have muslim friends that are offended by that in itself...as they say "wtf did I come to America for if this s#&^ happens?"

a reply to: AllSourceIntel


You do realise that Zara is owned by the world's second largest fashion retailer? I am just pointing that out in case people assume this is some small company who randomly try and incite hatred through handbags and kids pj's. Here is what they said back in 2007 about the handbag. -

Zara, owned by the world's second largest fashion retailer Inditex, said it did not know the 39 pound ($78) handbag had green swastikas on its corners.
The bags were made by a supplier in India and inspired by commonly used Hindu symbols, which include the swastika. The original design approved by Zara did not have swastikas on it, Inditex said.

"After the return of one bag we decided to withdraw the whole range," said a spokesman for Inditex, which has more than 3,330 stores in 66 countries.
Zara pulled the bags after 19-year-old Rachel Hatton told Britain's Daily Mail she asked for a refund when she spotted swastikas on her bag.
"The shop assistants were quite shocked as well to find out this symbol was on there," she told BBC radio.

So they pulled the bag after a complaint by a customer, now don't get me wrong If I seen the German ( black/white on red) swastika blazonly imprinted on a piece of clothing or accessory then I would think that highly inappropriate and offensive and that the manufacturer was out to cause trouble, but here I don't think its the case.... the second largest clothes retailer in the world is bound to inadvertently upset a few people from time to time, and I think a lot of this has to do with people seeing offence when there is none intended.

link

originally posted by: Lady_Tuatha
a reply to: AllSourceIntel


You do realise that Zara is owned by the world's second largest fashion retailer? I am just pointing that out in case people assume this is some small company who randomly try and incite hatred through handbags and kids pj's. Here is what they said back in 2007 about the handbag. -

Zara, owned by the world's second largest fashion retailer Inditex, said it did not know the 39 pound ($78) handbag had green swastikas on its corners.
The bags were made by a supplier in India and inspired by commonly used Hindu symbols, which include the swastika. The original design approved by Zara did not have swastikas on it, Inditex said.

"After the return of one bag we decided to withdraw the whole range," said a spokesman for Inditex, which has more than 3,330 stores in 66 countries.
Zara pulled the bags after 19-year-old Rachel Hatton told Britain's Daily Mail she asked for a refund when she spotted swastikas on her bag.
"The shop assistants were quite shocked as well to find out this symbol was on there," she told BBC radio.

So they pulled the bag after a complaint by a customer, now don't get me wrong If I seen the German ( black/white on red) swastika blazonly imprinted on a piece of clothing or accessory then I would think that highly inappropriate and offensive and that the manufacturer was out to cause trouble, but here I don't think its the case.... the second largest clothes retailer in the world is bound to inadvertently upset a few people from time to time, and I think a lot of this has to do with people seeing offence when there is none intended.

link

I didn't know they were the 2nd largest retailer, it really doesn't matter to me, nor the issue for that matter, for me to look to deeply into the issue. I normally have the same sentiment as you do on these issues, but I can't blame those crying afoul given the striking similarity in the two cases despite what the PR team of the company states. It etches close to a pattern that those crying afoul see. I just wanted to point out that maybe, this time, they might have a point. I think the PR team used India and their history of the swastika as a nice little fallback, especially since the peace swastika is not orientated in that manner on the bag. I'm not stating this was done on purpose, I'm stating one has to start questioning that company.

a reply to: AllSourceIntel

I dont understand what you mean about the orientation of the symbol? When I look I see that the bike below it is askew in relation to the flowers, seems that the prints were displayed intentionally haphazard. India is a company they use to manufacture goods so I don't see why the explanation is hard to believe. I suppose tho it doesn't really matter, people will either decide to be offended or not, I just don't get it, I mean what would it gain this company to intentionally upset people? it doesn't make any sense, especially for such a large worldwide company? I honestly think its a case of people being over sensitive . In my opinion anyway. ah to be honest I dont really care that much, my initial post was sort of a rant at the ridiculousness of it all.

the internet i don't like.

so much stuff i don't like.

but there is stuff i like.

i don't want to see stuff i don't like.

i want to see stuff i do like.

people are doing stuff in real life, i don't like.

i see it on the net and i don't like.

people do stuff in real life i see on the net and i like.

oh well, should i care about what you like?

nope. don't care about what you like.

you don't care about what i like.

originally posted by: TheSpanishArcher
Huh.

So. It's ok to bitch about something that reminds of something that happened years ago yet if someone raises questions about the near genocide occurring in Israel, well, you know what happens.

It's not that complicated.

Subconsciously my brain pulls up images of emaciated bodies and mass graves.

originally posted by: Lady_Tuatha
a reply to: AllSourceIntel


You do realise that Zara is owned by the world's second largest fashion retailer? I am just pointing that out in case people assume this is some small company who randomly try and incite hatred through handbags and kids pj's. Here is what they said back in 2007 about the handbag. -

Zara, owned by the world's second largest fashion retailer Inditex, said it did not know the 39 pound ($78) handbag had green swastikas on its corners.
The bags were made by a supplier in India and inspired by commonly used Hindu symbols, which include the swastika. The original design approved by Zara did not have swastikas on it, Inditex said.

"After the return of one bag we decided to withdraw the whole range," said a spokesman for Inditex, which has more than 3,330 stores in 66 countries.
Zara pulled the bags after 19-year-old Rachel Hatton told Britain's Daily Mail she asked for a refund when she spotted swastikas on her bag.
"The shop assistants were quite shocked as well to find out this symbol was on there," she told BBC radio.

So they pulled the bag after a complaint by a customer, now don't get me wrong If I seen the German ( black/white on red) swastika blazonly imprinted on a piece of clothing or accessory then I would think that highly inappropriate and offensive and that the manufacturer was out to cause trouble, but here I don't think its the case.... the second largest clothes retailer in the world is bound to inadvertently upset a few people from time to time, and I think a lot of this has to do with people seeing offence when there is none intended.

link

Second biggest Schmatte dealers in the world huh? Any chance they're Jewish?

I wonder whether the biggest is Jewish too?

I don't think the Swastikas and Buchenwald PJs are a coincidence AT ALL.