Fashion brand Burberry has apologized for showcasing a hoodie that featured a noose around the neck during....
Fashion brand Burberry has apologized for showcasing a hoodie that featured a noose around the neck during its show at London Fashion Week.
The retailer said it has removed the item from its collection, after criticism from one of its own models led to an online backlash.
The design was criticized by model Liz Kennedy, who featured in the show but claimed her concerns about the use of a noose were dismissed.
“Suicide is not fashion,” Kennedy wrote on Instagram. “It is beyond me how you could let a look resembling a noose hanging from a neck out on the runway.”
“While the design was inspired by a nautical theme, I realize 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,” show’s designer, Burberry’s chief creative officer Riccardo Tisc said.
As one of the most prolific and admired designers of modern times, Lagerfeld’s influence on the fashion industry is unparalleled. Known fondly in fashion circles as “the Kaiser” thanks to his German heritage, he was famously uncompromising in his design vision, once declaring: “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.”
Born in Hamburg in 1933, Lagerfeld began his career as an assistant to Pierre Balmain in 1955 and joined Chanel in 1983, spending 36 years at the house. In the interim, he has also held long-term design positions at the Italian house Fendi, the French house Chloe, and established his eponymous brand.
He is credited with reinventing Chanel, taking it from a small house to an industry leader. In 2017 the house released financial figures for the first time, revealing it had made £1.35bn the previous year.
While Lagerfeld had many friends, he kept his personal life private. His most famous companion was his cat, Choupette, who the designer made into a celebrity pet, complete with its own Instagram account.
Not one to shy away from expressing his opinion, Lagerfeld often found himself at the centre of controversy. In 2017, he sparked outrage by evoking the Holocaust as he attacked Chancellor Angela Merkel for opening Germany’s borders to migrants.
Compiled by SZ
