Zara was accused of selling a children's suit resembling the uniform of concentration camp prisoners

The Spanish brand Zara was accused of selling a festive costume in the style of the uniform of Auschwitz prisoners. The Independent reports this.

The brand was at the center of public debate because of a children's Halloween costume costing 39.99 pounds sterling (approximately 4.4 thousand rubles). Buyers noticed the gray fabric with blue vertical stripes and felt that the design of the shirt and shorts set was reminiscent of the uniform of prisoners of concentration and extermination camps during the Holocaust. Some also noted that parts of the design resembled barbed wire.

Opinions were divided on social networks, but many users expressed strong dissatisfaction. “I hope no one ever buys anything from Zara again,” wrote one critic of the brand. Another commentator added that for complete resemblance to the uniform, “all that is missing is a sewn number.”

At the same time, some Internet users stood up for the design, saying that the striped suit most likely refers to the image of the famous character in the film “Beetlejuice.”

At the same time, Naomi Mestrum, director of the Israel Information and Documentation Center, commented on the situation. She noted that the association with a historical tragedy really is read and hurts people, but she urged not to look for secret intent in the actions of designers.

“If you yourself do not carry this painful history, then such associations do not arise so quickly. I think the average customer at a Zara store won't pay attention to this. But let this be a lesson for the company,” Mestrum said, adding that she was not demanding that the goods be officially confiscated.

However, Zara customer support responded that the company was already aware of the situation and had forwarded the information to internal review. At the moment, the controversial product has been removed from the brand’s British website, although there have been no official statements from the retailer’s management yet.

It is known that this is not the first such incident for the brand. In 2014, Zara already removed a children's striped sweater with a yellow star from sale due to similar accusations, and in 2007, it removed a bag with a controversial embroidered design from its range.