Popular clothing brand Zara has found itself at the center of a heated debate after releasing a children’s t-shirt collection with captions that sparked widespread criticism from parents and online communities, who considered them unsuitable for young audiences.
Parents have expressed outrage, claiming that certain phrases on the new Zara kids’ t-shirts are ‘sexually suggestive’. The controversy began when a customer in Kent, England, posted photos and videos of the clothing online, alleging that the latest collection features explicit messages deemed unsuitable for children.
A mother has expressed concern after discovering the new collection in the girls’ section of a Zara store in Kent, featuring a t-shirt with suggestive text. The front of the shirt reads “The Perfect Snack” and “The Strawberry: A small burst of sweet joy”, while the back displays images of a split strawberry accompanied by phrases like “Take a bite. A burst of sweet delight, making it the perfect summer snack” and “The strawberry: a small burst of joy”.
Laura Wilson, a 32-year-old mother of two, shared her concerns in an Instagram video, stating, “I am not one to be overly sensitive about clothing, and this was in the girl’s section. Just wait till you see what’s on the back. If you have bought this for your child, you need serious words with yourself, in my opinion.” Wilson expressed shock, telling the Daily Mail, “I was taken aback by the suggestive nature of the texts.”
Zara faced widespread criticism on social media after reports and images of the controversial clothing and its text went viral, prompting the company to issue a subsequent apology.
“There was no intention for the use of the word ‘snack’ on this T-shirt to imply anything other than the traditional meaning of the word, as evidenced by the image of a strawberry on the garment. However, we now understand that some individuals have interpreted the term differently,” Zara said to the New York Post, “Therefore, we have removed the T-shirt from stores and our website. And we apologize for any misunderstanding or offense caused.”
