Global retailer, H&M, have pulled a garment from their product line following widespread backlash this week.
The controversy surrounds the retailer's decision to use a black child to model a hoody emblazoned with the slogan 'Coolest Monkey in the Jungle'.
Responding to the criticism, H&M made the decision to remove the image from their website, and issued an apology which outlined their plan to pull the garment from their line.
"We are deeply sorry that the picture was taken, and we also regret the actual print,” read the statement. “Therefore, we have not only removed the image from our channels, but also the garment from our product offering globally.”
According to The Irish Times, the retailer is launching an investigation into the origin of the print and its subsequent advertisement.
“It is obvious that our routines have not been followed properly. This is without any doubt,” the company said. “We will thoroughly investigate why this happened to prevent this type of mistake from happening again."
woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo. i’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore... pic.twitter.com/P3023iYzAb
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) January 8, 2018
R&B star, The Weeknd, was among those incensed by the garment's racial undertones, tweeting that he was offended by the image and would not engage with H&M on a professional level in the future.
"Woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo. i’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore..." he wrote in a tweet which has amassed more than 200,000 likes since yesterday.
H&M certainly have a lot to answer for.
