H&M that has a store on 125th Street in Harlem apologize Monday for using a black child to model a sweatshirt with a “coolest monkey in the jungle” slogan.
The company removed the offending ad from its website after hundreds of social media users accused it of being racist. It continues to sell the hooded top online.
“This image has now been removed from all H&M channels and we apologize to anyone this may have offended,” said H&M spokeswoman Anna Eriksson.
The image of the child in the hoodie appeared on the British version of the Swedish retailer’s online store.
Social media users pointed out that two other tops from the same line, one that said “survival expert” and one with images of animals, were modeled by white children.
“In the year 2018 there’s no way brands/art directors can be this negligent and lack awareness…. We have to do better,” designer Alex Medina said on Twitter, one of many who voiced their outrage over the advert.
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