It seems H&M could be in a little bit of bother with the latest accessory flying off the shelves also sending shoppers into a flying rage.
The high-street retailer has fallen out of favour for producing a white scarf with woven stripes. Critics of the company are comparing the accessory to the tallit prayer shawl – which Jewish people wrap themselves in during prayer.
The Stockholm-based chain is also stocking a matching fringed poncho.
Despite the retailer denying they had based the design on the religious symbol, people are not impressed:
Dear @HM, No, no, no, no and NO. PS: NO! https://t.co/h7C1QyQSLr pic.twitter.com/PU7ZeZzenD
— Eli Langer (@EliLanger) January 6, 2016
@hm your choice of fashioning a scarf on a religious garment is inappropriate & distasteful https://t.co/QyYWIGkCyQ
— Gil (@GilAllcar) January 7, 2016
@hm is selling a shawl that looks like a tallis bc being jewy is so on fleek! https://t.co/Cs4sdj1K2N
— Allison Josephs (@jewinthecity) January 6, 2016
Because it has never been so “on trend” to be Jewish! This H&M Scarf Looks Suspiciously Like a Tallit https://t.co/NAFbdSLsyL
— BevL (dandiedinmont) (@dandiedinmont) January 7, 2016
The Tallit is too holy to be copies as a casual or everyday fashion garment! https://t.co/jPmdHWUvll
— Yitzchak Strauss (@benbaruch3) January 7, 2016
Speaking to i100, a spokesperson for H&M apologised for any offence caused:
“We are truly sorry if we have offended anyone with this piece. Everyone is welcome at H&M and we never take a religious or political stand. Stripes are one of the trends for this season and something we were inspired by. Our intension was never to upset anyone.
“The quantities [of the scarves] were small and the products are no longer available in some markets.”
The move comes just a year after Zara was forced to remove a child’s striped pyjama shirt featuring a yellow star from its stores, following a number of online complaints.
