Burberry apologises for a hoodie pattern with a noose like knot at London Fashion Week

Burberry is the latest brand to come under fire for an outfit they showcased at London Fashion Week.

By Sneha Kalra

Updated on Feb 20, 2019 | 10:00 PM IST | 2.1M

Burberry apologises for a hoodie pattern with a noose like knot at London Fashion Week (A model from the show on the runway)

It is never a quiet day in the field of fashion. Burberry is the latest brand to come under the fashion radar and get called out for controversial outfits. The top officers of the luxury fashion house are apologising for dressing up a model for their show at London Fashion Week, in a hoodie with a knotted cord shaped like a noose, on Sunday.

According to reports, the initial backlash came from one of the models - Liz Kennedy, post which the brand has dropped the design from its collection. In her post on Instagram, the model addressed the topic of suicide and about how there are many ways to tie a rope. "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," she put her rant into words. "How could anyone overlook this and think it would be okay to do this especially in a line dedicated to young girls and youth... There are hundreds of ways to tie a rope and they chose to tie it like a noose completely ignoring the fact that it was hanging around the neck."

@burberry @riccardotisci17 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. How could anyone overlook this and think it would be okay to do this especially in a line dedicated to young girls and youth. The impressionable youth. Not to mention the rising suicide rates world wide. Let’s not forget about the horrifying history of lynching either. There are hundreds of ways to tie a rope and they chose to tie it like a noose completely ignoring the fact that it was hanging around a neck. A massive brand like Burberry who is typically considered commercial and classy should not have overlooked such an obvious resemblance. I left my fitting extremely triggered after seeing this look (even though I did not wear it myself). Feeling as though I was right back where I was when I was going through an experience with suicide in my family. Also to add in they briefly hung one from the ceiling (trying to figure out the knot) and were laughing about it in the dressing room. I had asked to speak to someone about it but the only thing I was told to do was to write a letter. I had a brief conversation with someone but all that it entailed was “it’s fashion. Nobody cares about what’s going on in your personal life so just keep it to yourself” well I’m sorry but this is an issue bigger than myself. 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 apart of the show. #burberry. I did not post this to disrespect the designer or the brand but to simply express an issue I feel very passionate about.

Marco Gobbetti, the CEO of Burberry gave a statement, "We are deeply sorry for the distress caused by one of the products ... featured in our A/W 2019 runway collection Tempest The design was inspired by the marine theme that ran throughout the collection, it was insensitive and we made a mistake."

The creative director of the brand, Riccardo Tisci also apologised for the outfit by accepting that it was insensitive and never their intention to upset anybody. "It does not reflect my values nor Burberry's and we have removed it from the collection," he said.

After Gucci's blackface sweater, Burberry is the latest to come under the radar for a fashion misstep.

What are your thoughts on Burberry's design and the fact that they pulled it out? Let us know in the comment section below.