Burberry sorry after 'noose' hoodie sparks backlash among models at London Fashion Week show

'Suicide is not fashion: Burberry's 'noose' hoodie sparked a huge backlash (Picture: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Burberry has apologised for putting a hoodie with a “noose” on the London Fashion Week runway.

The luxury brand sparked a huge backlash over the gaffe, with model Liz Kennedy saying: “suicide is not fashion”.

The brand’s CEO and creative director issued apologies for the look, which was part of their Autumn/Winter 2019 collection.

The “noose” has been removed from the collection after the furore it caused following Sunday’s catwalk event.

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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

Kennedy, in a post on social media, said: "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."

She added, "Let's not forget about the horrifying history of lynching either."

Marco Gobbetti, the brand's CEO, said Burberry is "deeply sorry for the distress" the top caused and has removed it from the collection, along with all images featuring the look.

Riccardo Tisci, Burberry's creative director, also apologised, saying "while the design was inspired by a nautical theme, I realize that it was insensitive."

The collection, called "Tempest," is Tisci's second for the brand.

The clothes were a mix of classic, severely tailored ensembles to more trendy street-inspired looks aimed at younger consumers.

Kennedy and other critics said the company should have known better.

"A massive brand like Burberry who is typically considered commercial and classy should not have overlooked such an obvious resemblance,” Kennedy wrote on Instagram.

I left my fitting extremely triggered after seeing this look. Feeling as though I was right back where I was when I was going through an experience with suicide in my family.

She said she asked to speak to somebody about it and was told 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.’”

Gobbetti said he called Kennedy to apologise as soon as he became aware of her concerns on Monday.

The gaffe comes after Gucci removed a sweater from the market last week after complaints that the oversized collar designed to cover the face resembled blackface makeup.

In December, Prada stopped selling baubles that also prompted complaints of racist imagery.

Both companies have announced initiatives to foster cultural diversity and awareness among their employees to avoid future missteps.