Forget Sydney Sweeney, there’s a new controversial clothing ad model in town.
In early September 2025, Shein shoppers, a global fast-fashion company based in China, noticed a model with an uncanny likeness to Luigi Mangione on Shein’s website wearing a floral print short-sleeved shirt.
As word spread, Google searches for “Luigi Mangione Shein” spiked, and pictures of the photograph spread quickly on social media before it was removed.
Back-to-school look 2025? Accused murderer
Mind you, Luigi Mangione doesn’t even have a trial date, he’s facing the death penalty, and corporations are already exploiting his AI image. https://t.co/aCTtDUzMMz
— The Luigi Case (@LuigiCaseFiles) September 3, 2025
Presumably, the image is AI, as Mangione is currently behind bars in New York, accused of the December 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Shein has also used AI images in its advertising before. And even if it was AI, the ad was likely produced without Mangione’s knowledge or consent. Reports say Mangione’s legal team has not yet commented on the matter, and the fact the image is AI has not yet been confirmed.
Once Shein became aware of the viral controversy, the online retailer removed the image from its site and explained that it had originated from a third-party vendor called “Manfinity.”
Shein told Newsweek in a statement, “The image in question was provided by a third-party vendor and was removed immediately upon discovery. We have stringent standards for all listings on our platform. We are conducting a thorough investigation, strengthening our monitoring processes, and will take appropriate action against the vendor in line with our policies.”
Referring to the Mangione image, retired FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer wrote in part on X “A new low! Who would have ever thought that the image of a man who is on tape cowardly shooting someone in the back would be used to sell clothes.”
Another X post added, “Mind you, Luigi Mangione doesn’t even have a trial date, he’s facing the death penalty, and corporations are already exploiting his AI image.”
Yet another Shein PR headache
This episode is only the latest PR headache for Shein, which has previously been criticized over labor practices, the environmental impact of fast fashion, and allegations of clothing design plagiarism from both independent designers and major fashion houses.
Meanwhile, the Mangione case remains deeply controversial: Since his arrest, Mangione has amassed a polarized online following, depicted by some as a folk hero and by others as a dangerous fringe figure.
