AMMAN — Social media users are calling for the boycott of Spanish
clothing giant Zara, following remarks made by its head designer Vanessa
Perilman in an Instagram exchange with Palestinian model Qaher Harhash, which
were deemed racist and Islamophobic by social media users.
اضافة اعلان
In her messages, screenshots of which were widely circulated on
social media, Perilman dismissed Israeli war crimes against Palestinians.
“So your point is that you are trying to show the world that Israel
is a horrible evil country that does terrible things to Palestinians? Omg I
want to vomit. It’s so unfair and such lies,” she wrote in a private
Instagram message to the model, who is from occupied East Jerusalem. The screenshot messages
were circulated on social media platforms in Jordan as well, where there are
three
Zara stores.
“Maybe if your people were educated then they wouldn’t blow up
hospitals and schools that Israel helped to pay for in Gaza,” Perilman said.
The remarks come one month after Israeli airstrikes in
Gaza killed
over 250 Palestinians and reduced to rubble vital infrastructure in the strip,
including hospitals and schools.
“Also I think it’s funnny [sic] that your [sic] a model because in
reality that is against what the Muslim faith believes in and if you were to
come out in any Muslim country you would be stoned to death,” Perilman
concluded.
The designer has since deleted all social media accounts.
After Harhash published Perilman’s message, the hashtag #BoycottZara
took off across social media platforms.
According to a post by Harhash on his Instagram account, Zara
reached out to him in an effort to assuage backlash, asking that he post
Perilman’s apology.
Taking to his Instagram story following the incident, Harhash
pointed out the double-standard operating in the fashion industry’s handling of
hate speech.
“They also need to address the Islamophobia which is predominantly
ignored by European society… When certain fashion designers said anti-Semitic
things, they were fired from their jobs at luxury houses,” he wrote.
In an email response to a concerned customer, Zara described
Perilman’s remarks as a “misunderstanding” that has been clarified.
“@Zara an entire family was just m*rdered [sic] in Ontario for being
Muslim. your response re: her hateful and racist comments were scraped from the
bottom of a barrel – vanessa perilman should be fired for what she said,'' wrote
one Twitter user.
Other fashion industries have also been embroiled in controversy
regarding their addressing of
Palestine.
Earlier this month, luxury designer Louis Vuitton sold its own
version of the Palestinian keffiyeh — a traditional Levant headwear that has
become a symbol of Palestinian resistance in recent years — for $705 in
blue and white. Reminiscent of the Israeli flag, the choice of colors was
widely criticized by social media users.
“The colors are definitely a problem,” wrote one critic on
Twitter.
“Don't use a country's culture for
personal gain and profits,” wrote another.
Shortly after, Nordstrom sold a “Palestinian Anna blouse” by
Israeli designer Nili Lotan. The top features traditional Palestinian
embroidery and cross-stitches — another symbol of the Palestinian cultural
identity.
“Here we go again @Nordstrom @nililotan,” one Tweet reads. “Do not
profit of [sic] the oppressed this is cultural appropriation.”
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