Burberry Has Apologised For Designing A Hoodie With A ‘Noose’ Around The Neck

Luxury fashion brand Burberry has apologised for putting a hoodie with strings tied in the shape of a noose on its London Fashion Week runway.

The garment, which made its debut during Sunday’s Burberry show, was criticised by one of the brand’s own models, who labelled it as “not glamorous nor edgy”.

Liz Kennedy posted a photograph of the hoodie on Instagram with a long message directed at Burberry and its creative director Riccardo Tisci.

She wrote that: “a massive brand like Burberry who is typically considered commercial and classy should not have overlooked such an obvious resemblance [to a noose]” and that she left her fitting feeling triggered by the piece due to a history of suicide in her family.

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Liz said she asked to speak to somebody about it and was told 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.’”

She then continued to say she was ashamed to have been part of the Fashion Week show.

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Since then, the brand has apologised for the offensive piece. Marco Gobbetti, the chief executive of the company, said in a statement on Tuesday that Burberry was “deeply sorry for the distress” the top had caused and had removed it from the autumn-winter collection, along with all images featuring the look.

Riccardo Tisci, Burberry’s creative director, also apologised, saying “while the design was inspired by a nautical theme, I realise that it was insensitive”.

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Marco Gobbetti said Liz’s experience “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.”

• Burberry