T.I. Fires Shot at Burberry for Creating a Hoodie With a Noose

It happened again, and this time Burberry is at the center of controversy for creating a fashion piece that many have deemed offensive.

On Sunday, the British Fashion house put on their show for London’s Fashion Week, and one of its featured hoodies came with a drawstring that finished with a knot fashioned into a noose worn below the neck.

 

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@burberry @riccardotisci17 Suicide is not fashion. It is not glamorous nor edgy and since this show is dedicated to the youth expressing their voice, here I go. Riccardo Tisci and everyone at Burberry it is beyond me how you could let a look resembling a noose hanging from a neck out on the runway. How could anyone overlook this and think it would be okay to do this especially in a line dedicated to young girls and youth. The impressionable youth. Not to mention the rising suicide rates world wide. Let’s not forget about the horrifying history of lynching either. There are hundreds of ways to tie a rope and they chose to tie it like a noose completely ignoring the fact that it was hanging around a neck. A massive brand like Burberry who is typically considered commercial and classy should not have overlooked such an obvious resemblance. I left my fitting extremely triggered after seeing this look (even though I did not wear it myself). Feeling as though I was right back where I was when I was going through an experience with suicide in my family. Also to add in they briefly hung one from the ceiling (trying to figure out the knot) and were laughing about it in the dressing room. I had asked to speak to someone about it but the only thing I was told to do was to write a letter. I had a brief conversation with someone but all that it entailed was “it’s fashion. Nobody cares about what’s going on in your personal life so just keep it to yourself” well I’m sorry but this is an issue bigger than myself. The issue is not about me being upset, there is a bigger picture here of what fashion turns a blind eye to or does to gain publicity. A look so ignorantly put together and a situation so poorly handled. I am ashamed to have been apart of the show. #burberry. I did not post this to disrespect the designer or the brand but to simply express an issue I feel very passionate about.

A post shared by 🦎 (@liz.kennedy_) on Feb 17, 2019 at 9:51am PST

Marco Gobbetti, Burberry’s CEO, said the piece has already been pulled from its collection and taken off its website. He also issued an apology.

“We are deeply sorry for the distress caused by one of the products that featured in our [Autumn/Winter] 2019 runway collection Tempest,” he said in a statement that surfaced on Feb 19.

Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer Ricardo Tisci also sent a statement and said the noose was created to fit within a nautical theme, although nothing in the collection’s press release gives that particular description.

“I am so deeply sorry for the distress that has been caused as a result of one of the pieces in my show on Sunday,” he said. “While the design was inspired by a nautical theme, I realize that it was insensitive. It was never my intention to upset anyone. I will make sure that this does not happen again.

The model Liz Kennedy, who was actually in the Burberry show, said she was offended by the piece when she first saw it during a fitting. She then posted a message about it on Sunday. Kennedy also said the noose was also offensive because the show was supposed to be dedicated to young people.

“Suicide is not fashion. It is not glamorous nor edgy,” she wrote. “Riccardo Tisci and everyone at Burberry it is beyond me how you could let a look resembling a noose hanging from a neck out on the runway.”

“Not to mention the rising suicide rates world wide,” she added. “Let’s not forget about the horrifying history of lynching either. There are hundreds of ways to tie a rope and they chose to tie it like a noose completely ignoring the fact that it was hanging around a neck.”

T.I. had a message for Burberry as well, and he also mentioned Gucci for creating a sweater that many thought resembled blackface and Prada for releasing figurines that offended a lot of people too.

“These aren’t coincidences,” he wrote Tuesday on Instagram.

#🖕🏽Gucci

#🖕🏽Prada

#🖕🏽Moncler And now…. #🖕🏽BURBERRY”

Runway coach and former “America’s Next Top Model” judge J. Alexander also blasted the London fashion house for the shirt.

“Now that’s f–ked,” said Jay on Tuesday, apparently not knowing about the controversy until he was told about it. “I just think they’re doing their thing for attention. Aren’t the influencers giving you enough attention and the bloggers? They should be shot with sh– for stinking.”