Racism in the fashion industry is a continual topic that appears too often nowadays. Whether it is cultural appropriation or insensitive imagery towards another race, racist pieces still emerge despite all the backlash against them. On the other hand, there is also a concern about society taking certain messages way out of proportion. Are we starting to become too drastic in our opinions?
(Source: Pinterest)
In January 2018, H&M received widespread criticism about a sweatshirt with the caption “coolest monkey in the jungle” across the chest. The item went viral on social media due to its racist remarks, especially since an African American boy modeled the sweatshirt. Although the parents of the model did not believe the content of the ad was racist, H&M still issued an apology statement about the product. The company lost major promoters and collaborators due to their ignorance, including pop singer The Weeknd.
(Source: Twitter)
Throughout history, the appearance of African Americans was often compared to apes or monkeys as a type of racial slur. This was notable during the antebellum South as a way of justifying slavery since African Americans were not considered humane; they could therefore not possess any rights nor freedom. The coon caricatures typically appeared on postcards during the 18th century, and were a primary symbol of racism.
(Source: Pinterest)
I do agree that it was highly inappropriate for an African American boy to model this advertisement, especially when considering how insensitive other fashion companies have been recently with racist references (i.e. Prada and blackface). Even though the caption of the sweatshirt is quite generic, there is an extensive history of African Americans being labelled as monkeys or apes. Fashion companies need to start taking legitimate action in reforming their production of pieces so they do not degrade any race. This racial repetition in fashion occurred too frequently in 2018, and still persists even this year.
In the end, however, I do wonder if people would be less offended by this specific product (or not care at all) if the child was of a different race. My biggest inquiry is, “Would this sweatshirt be considered racist or controversial if it were modeled by a white child?”