Zara earned a wave of backlash after they released a children’s striped pajama top with a yellow star that eerily resembled the concentration camp uniform.
According to The Huffington Post, the shirt was sold by the retailer’s online stores in Albania, France, Israeli, and Sweden. Just hours after it went on sale on Wednesday, it was removed.
Zara apologized, but defended their claim that the shirt was inspired by cowboy sheriffs from Classic Western films.
“We honestly apologize, it was inspired by the sheriff’s stars from the Classic Western films and is no longer in our stores,” the company’s tweet read.
Angry fans went to the company’s Facebook,
“Whomever the anti-Semitic person is that decided to market your Nazi-inspired “sheriff” t-shirt should be fired! I will never, EVER buy any of your products again,” one person wrote.
“This is the second time you have come out with a product which is grossly offensive both to Jews and to anyone with a modicum of decency,” another wrote.
From the Depths, an organization that aims to preserve the memory of the Holocaust, condemned the company on Facebook.
Back in 2007, the company sparked controversy after releasing a handbag that had swastikas on it. The company said the bag was designed from an external supplier and the symbol had not been visible, reported BBC News.
A customer who bought the handbag brought it to the attention of the company after she purchased it. Zara withdrew the handbag and apologized.
Image via Facebook from From the Depths