Burberry has issued an apology regarding a recent controversy involving one of their latest fashion accessories. On the runway of London Fashion Week, the fashion company debuted a sweatshirt with a noose located around the neck, and it earned no shortage of backlash and criticism against the brand. Now, Marco Gobbetti expresses remorse about this piece of fashion and pulled it from their collection. In a statement released shortly after the item made waves, the CEO of the company called the controversial clothing item a "mistake." Here's what he said:
We are deeply sorry for the distress caused by one of the products that featured in our A/W 2019 runway collection Tempest. I called Ms. Kennedy to apologize as soon as I became aware of this on Monday and we immediately removed the product and all images that featured it. Though the design was inspired by the marine theme that ran throughout the collection, it was insensitive and we made a mistake. The experience Ms. Kennedy describes does not reflect who we are and our values. We will reflect on this, learn from it and put in place all necessary actions to ensure it does not happen again.
As it was recounted by E! News, the clothing item became arguably the most controversial moment of this weekend's fashion show, since there were models and audience attendees who felt the runway clothing piece was attempting to make suicide "glamorous" or "edgy," particularly since the show is dedicated to the youth expressing their voices and making sure they are given a platform to be heard.
In short, it was considered in poor taste to even indirectly make light of suicide, particularly with the youth of the world as the center focus of this fashion week. It didn't take long before the controversy spread like wildfire on social media and other pockets of the Internet, and Marco Gobbetti found it imperative to say he was "deeply sorry" and that he'll "reflect" on how he can improve his company's work and allow them to be more sensitive, mindful and ultimately considerate of what messages they portray -- particularly after this strong backlash directed their way.
Hopefully, Burberry will take these criticisms to heart and allow themselves to improve upon their work in the future. It's not easy to admit when you have done something wrong, and several other companies have opted to not apologize in the past for their perceived wrongdoings. The first step is admitting that you made a mistake. Hopefully, what follows for Burberry is a company-wide reflection of what they do and say with their brand. This "mistake" could be a turning point right now.
Additionally, Riccardo Tisci, the Chief Creative Officer at Burberry, also issued an apology for the fashion item, saying:
I am so deeply sorry for the distress that has been caused as a result of one of the pieces in my show on Sunday. While the design was inspired by a nautical theme, I realise that it was insensitive. It was never my intention to upset anyone. It does not reflect my values nor Burberry's and we have removed it from the collection. I will make sure that this does not happen again.
Will these apologizes be accepted? Time will ultimately tell, but Burberry does appear to be remorseful about the controversial and insensitive clothing item at this weekend's recent fashion show.
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