Burberry Recalls Noose Hoodie, Apologizes After ‘Suicide Isn’t Fashion’ Criticism

Burberry’s apologizing after being slammed for a hoodie in its A/W 2019 runway collection with drawstrings resembling a noose around the neck.

The item debuted during the fashion brand’s London Fashion Week show on Sunday, and model Liz Kennedy, who was featured in the event, reportedly tried to talk to people about the issues with the garment beforehand but was told to simply write a letter.

So, she did.

“Suicide is not fashion,” Kennedy began an Instagram post on Sunday. “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.”

Marco Gobbetti, Burberry chief executive officer, apologized in a statement to Highsnobiety, saying, “We are deeply sorry for the distress caused by one of the products that featured in our A/W 2019 runway collection…Though the design was inspired by the marine theme that ran throughout the collection, it was insensitive and we made a mistake.”

Burberry recalled the hoodie from its collection and removed all images featuring it.

Riccardo Tisci, the company’s chief creative officer, also commented on the issue: “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 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.”

This fashion scandal comes only a few weeks after Gucci apologized for debuting a sweater resembling blackface. It was part of its Fall/Winter 2018 balaclava collection but has since been recalled.