. "This is ACTIVELY THREATENING to the Jewish community," one user tweeted. "Since it was brought to our attention, we immediately removed the products from our site and asked our vendor to stop selling to others. A few have the Kaaba printed on them. I am livid. At the end of the day, you have to decide for yourself where to spend your coins; just make sure the next time you check out at Shein, your cart is free of inflammatory symbolism. Shein Curve is one of the top searched terms on Google, and a search for Shein Plus Size Haul unfurls around 800,000 Youtube videos. Dresses, skirts, leggings andswastika necklaces? The uproar started after watchdog account @hereforthetea2 noticed the necklace and posted about it on Instagram to their 110,000 followers. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Earlier this week the brand came under fire for selling Islamic prayer mats as "Greek frilled carpets", Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. We are more likely to spend more money when coupons and discount codes are offered as incentives. Two days later, Shein removed the items and issued a public apology on its Instagram. Now, despite its longstanding historical and religious meaning, the symbol is widely synonymous with the Nazi party and Adolf Hitler. For quite some time now, the China-based fast-fashion company has been hot on the heels of the reigning queen of 100 New Items Everyday, Fashion Nova. Some screenshots posted online show that the necklace would come up when the term swastika was searched, and the term was possibly in the items name, though this differs from photo to photo. This behavior goes back to as early as 2008, whenMexican indie label Valfre sued Shein for copyright infringement. Fast-fashion companies are often the only places where plus-size ambassadors and influencers outnumber their straight-size counterparts. If 1,000 new items a day seems too good to be true, theres probably a catch. Last week, Shein also came under fire for selling rugs resembling Muslim prayer mats with descriptions like "fringe trim carpet." I am disgusted. A simple Youtube search of Shein Haul returns over two million videos, a sizable number of which were created in partnership with Shein or feature gifted items from the company. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, But the global brand said that it wanted to make clear the item of jewellery was modelled on the Buddhist swastika, not Nazi, in a statement, Shein apologises for selling prayer mats as frilled carpets. It's important for us to acknowledge the disrespect that is committed here, and that action must be taken to remove this product from their line. To our dear community, the statement began alongside a crying emoji. Yours for the low price of $2.50. 2022 SheMedia, LLC. And, there it was. Shein has issued an apology after receiving immense backlash over selling a necklace designed with a swastika. Get 34th Street's newsletter, The Toast, delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning. We offer our sincerest apology to all whom we have hurt and offered, and hope we can earn your forgiveness.". A spokesperson said: For the record, SHEIN was not selling a Nazi swastika pendant, the necklace is a Buddhist swastika which has symbolized spirituality and good fortune for more than a thousand years.. The Boy Scouts adopted it and the Girls Club of America called their magazine Swastika. Its a symbol that we will never ever be able to change, Holocaust survivor Freddie Knoller told BBC in 2014. In Sanskrit, the ancient Indian language, swastikas do mean well-being, but when the Nazi party rose to power in the 1930s in Germany, they seized the symbol, turning the black straight-armed hakenkreuz, or hooked cross, into a symbol of hate, BBC reports. Just last week, the brand stopped selling religious prayer rugs as decorative tassel trim carpets after a wave of backlash. Skip recommended stories carousel and go to main content. In an Instagram post that has garnered almost 100,000 likes, fashion influencer Marissa Casey Grossman shared a photo necklace with the caption: HOLY FUCK. This New Vegan Mascara Is the Next Best Thing to Lash Extensions. I am so disgusted by @sheinofficials sheer ignorance and blatant disrespect towards other cultures and religions, Instagram influencer Nabela Noor wrote in a post, which she also screengrabbed for Twitter. Noor pointed out that this was not the first time Shein had faced criticism for offensive sales practices. We've received your submission. Ad Choices, Shein Apologizes for Selling Swastika NecklaceBut People Arent Buying It. With its ever-expanding catalogue, low prices, extended sizing and army of ambassadors pumping out constant content, Shein is poised to become a fashion force to be reckoned with. Scottish tattoo parlours to offer free swastika inkings in bid to 'reclaim' symbol, screenshots of the item, with the message: , IMMEDIATELY remove this item from their website as it represents the mass murder of millions., This is the second time this week that Shein has had to issue an apology over the sale of items; on Wednesday. Brands like Shein, PrettyLittleThing and Boohoo use a common pull strategy (an advertising term) that motivates customers to repeatedly visit their web properties through the allure of via constant coupons and discount codes. The only thing we can do is profusely apologize and reassure you that we're making major internal changes so this doesn't happen again, the statement continued, promising to establish a review board to approve products before they're sold. Fast-fashion companies are often the only places where plus-size ambassadors and influencers outnumber their straight-size counterparts. DUE TO THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND OTHERS, comments are now turned off. In recent years, SHEIN and other fast fashion retailers have seen a surge in popularity due to their reputation for offering up ontrend clothing at irresistibly low prices. Shein has opted to use the same hyper-aggressive social media marketing strategy that put Fashion Nova on the map in the first place: flooding the influencer market. The brand later issued an apology stating that while the necklace was intended to represent the Buddhist swastikaa symbol of good luck for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jainsrather than a Nazi swastika, and there was simply no excuse for [their] lack of sensitivity in selling it. So, when instances like the Swastika necklace come up, how can these. #shein #sheinofficial #muslim #prayermat #culturalappropriation #islam #china, A post shared by Khadija Rizvi (@s.khadija.r) on Jul 3, 2020 at 3:25am PDT, "To our community we made a serious mistake recently by selling prayer mats as decorative rugs on our site. In his book "The Swastika: Symbol Beyond Redemption? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. On any given day, Shein has at least four to five discount codes offered to customers, including conditional promotions, student discounts, new customer discounts and the discount codes distributed to influencers to share with their followings. But please believe that we in no way support or condone racial, cultural and religious prejudice or hatred. After outroar online, it seems the necklace has been removed. First published on July 9, 2020 / 6:47 PM. While the current controversy has people everywhere pledging to #BoycottSHEIN, this is not the brands first brush with negative press. . Then, of course,there was the necklace. @diet_prada "Metal Swastika Pendant Necklace Check out this Metal Swastika Pendant Necklace on Shein and explore more to meet your fashion needs! The brand highlighted that the Nazi swastika has a slightly different design: it is pointed clockwise and tilted at an angle, but acknowledged the two were easily confused. This is a company that Ive bought from so much over the years and to see this is ABSOLUTELY disgusting, she writes. This behavior goes back to as early as 2008, when. But perhaps the most enduring argument against buying from SHEIN is its status as a fast fashion retailer. Who can blame us for wanting the same options as everyone else? I will NEVER be buying from @sheinofficial @shein_us EVER again. Corporate organisations can be difficult to take down, but you can do your bit by: -BOYCOTTING THEM -RAISING SOCIAL MEDIA AWARENESS (can really make a difference) - SENDING EMAILS . "The only thing we can do is profusely apologize and reassure you that we're making major internal changes so this does not happen again," it concluded. Rhode Island bar apologizes for offensive Anne Frank meme on Facebook page, Nazi protesters show up outside young conservatives meeting in Florida, Some chutzpah: Students file complaint about anti-Semitism at CUNY. Noor added that she would be reaching out to the head of brand and asked her followers to tag Shein in her comments and on its own page. However, because we understand the two symbols can be confused, and one is highly offensive, we have removed the product from our site. Just days later, the brand is under fire yet again for selling a necklace with an Allah pendant. this is ACTIVELY THREATENING to the jewish community,, 2022 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Responding to the criticism, Shein promised to implement stricter vetting policies for all products and the creation of a diverse board of staff as a product review committee to ensure similar mistakes are not repeated. Online retailer Shein has once again apologized for one of its product listings. This is a company that Ive bought from so much over the years and to see this is ABSOLUTELY disgusting. You can opt-out at any time by signing in to your account to manage your preferences. The brand apologized in a statement. James House. Soon after, many others on Twitter and Instagram were calling for a response from the brand. Just days before images of the swastika pendant took social media by storm, the site was called out for selling Muslim prayer mats as decorative rugs. It is NOT a carpet and must be treated with respect and you don't ever wear shoes on it. SHEIN is notorious for its lack of transparency regarding its environmental and labor policies. THIS IS HIGHLY OFFENSIVE, Not only is it disrespectful but they once again renamed and stole credit from a whole faith this time, by failing to label it as a muslim prayer mat; which allows people to use it casually as a decorative mat., UPDATE: @sheinofficial has now removed most of these items from their website, which is what we wanted; however there's been no acknowledgement, statement or apology from them. It's important for us to acknowledge the disrespect that is committed here, and that action must be taken to remove this product from their line. Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalism, By registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalists, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}. Now, one Twitter user writes, with a screenshot of the adornment. Shein, a company thats become popular for YouTube try on hauls, appears to be selling swastika necklaces?!!! The backlash was almost immediate: thousands of people took to social media to condemn SHEIN, demanding that the necklace be removed from its website and calling for other users to boycott the brand. Thanks to @toobzz__ for bringing my attention to this. On Thursday, screenshots from the retailers website surfaced on Twitter, showing a metal pendant necklace that appears to be a swastika, a Nazi hate symbol, for sale on their site. #shein, A post shared by HERE FOR THE TEA (@hereforthetea2) on Jul 9, 2020 at 9:10am PDT. Next to the appeal of low prices, influencer marketing is probably one of the most ubiquitous forms of promotion these companies rely on. #shein #sheinofficial #muslim #prayermat #culturalappropriation #islam #china, A post shared by Khadija Rizvi ??? However, because we understand the two symbols can be confused and one is highly offensive, we have removed the product from our site., The rep adds, We want to apologize profusely to those who are offended, we are sensitive to these issues and want to be very clear that we in no way support or condone racial, cultural and religious prejudice or hostility.. While some argued that the symbol stems from religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, the majority of commenters disapproved and pointed out that it is now largely associated with the Nazis, who adopted the ancient icon in the 1930s as an emblem of their fascist regime. Research has shown that coupons may actually make you happier. Traditional retailers were late to the plus-size fashion game, and many fast-fashion brands saw a ready and willing market and offered something plus-size women had not previously had access to: affordable and trendy clothing in their size. I will NEVER be buying from@sheinofficial@shein_us EVER again. While we cannot say there is anything insidious about this practice, the sheer volume of influencers posting positively about this brand make it harder for theaverage consumer to ignore itand its easy for the companys failings to be buried under sponsored posts. The statement continued: The Buddhist symbol has stood for spirituality and good fortune for more than a thousand years, and has a different design than the Nazi swastika which stands for hatebut frankly, that doesnt matter because we shouldve been more considerate of the symbols hurtful connotations to so many people around the world, and we didnt.. StyleCaster is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Whether it be cultural insensitivity, lifting designs, or unethical production, we are able to use our own buying power to make a statement about what practices we will not tolerate as consumers. However, its adoption by the Nazi Party in 1920 has made the symbol irretrievably associated in much of the world with Nazism. The rugs featured a design that looked like Kaaba, the center of the most important mosque in the religion. I have zero words. Luxury Luggage Label Globe-Trotter Ventures to Los Angeles for First U.S.Store. The site pulled an item labeled "swastika pendant necklace" from its website after being slammed on social media for promoting anti-Semitism before issuing an apology Friday, stating that the listing was meant to portray a Buddhist swastika. The necklace, which was marketed as a Metal Swastika Pendant, has since been taken downbut not before screenshots of the listing made waves on social media. "We know we have a lot of work to do to deserve the love and support you've shown us these last few years. Although she had spoken with the companys head of brand and felt as though they were moving in a positive direction, Seeing this today makes me feel sick to my stomach and question the authenticity of Sheins apology, she wrote on Instagram. Take this down. WWD and Women's Wear Daily are part of Penske Media Corporation. American charity, Stop Anti Semitism, also posted screenshots of the item, with the message: We demand that #shein IMMEDIATELY remove this item from their website as it represents the mass murder of millions.. In a 2012 study, recipients of a $10 voucher experienced a 38% rise in oxytocin levels and were 11% happier than those who didnt receive a coupon. For the Jewish people the swastika is a symbol of fear, of suppression, and of extermination. We made a gigantic mistake by selling a product that's hurtful and offensive to many of you, and we're so, so sorry.". In 2017, plus-size influencer Felicity Hayward noticed a shirt from her, Low prices and savings are fairly easy to understand, we all love a bargain. All Rights Reserved. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. In Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, swastikas are associated with luck and prosperity, and the symbol has been used across Eurasia for thousands of years. Who can blame us for. He formerly told the BBC: Coca-Cola used it. This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from. As you can imagine, many had thoughts on this statementwhich has garnered more than 6,000 replies so far on Instagram alone, with many in the comments pointing out that the company could donate the profits from the necklace to antidefamation organizations or Jewish charities. As a multicultural and global brand, we want to apologise profusely to those who are offended, we are sensitive to these issues and want to be very clear that we in no way support or condone racial, cultural and religious prejudice or hostility.. But frankly, that doesn't matter because we should've been more considerate of the symbol's hurtful connotations to so many people around the world and we didn't. Sonobody thought about what the necklace would look like if it was simply flipped around? UPDATE: @sheinofficial has now removed most of these items from their website, which is what we wanted; however theres been no acknowledgement, statement or apology from them. Please speak up about this.". They would even send out swastika badges to their young readers as a prize for selling copies of the magazine, he says. You can read the apology on their feed. When you get down to it, Shein and the rest of the Instagram-approved fast-fashion world have. However, because we understand the two symbols can be confused, and one is highly offensive, we have removed the product from our site. Just days later, the brand is, Shein also has a history of producing designs inspired by indie designers; cranking out cheaper versions of their creations, to consumers who are most likely unaware of them doing so. Research has shown that coupons may actually make you happier. We understand this was a highly offensive oversight and are truly sorry," the brand wrote. In an emailed statement to The Post, Shein claims the $2.50 necklace wasnt a Nazi swastika, but a Buddhist swastika which has symbolized spirituality and good fortune., For the record, Shein was not selling a Nazi swastika pendant, the necklace is a Buddhist swastika which has symbolized spirituality and good fortune for more than a thousand years, a representative at Shein says.