Zara costume disappears after Holocaust uniform criticism

Zara’s children’s Halloween costume was no longer available on the retailer’s website by Wednesday, October 1, after its striped, distressed design drew criticism for resembling clothing worn by prisoners in Nazi concentration camps. The company has not publicly explained the listing’s disappearance or issued a statement about the controversy. The gray-and-blue Kids Halloween Groom Costume was described as a two-piece outfit consisting of a cardigan and shorts, with vertical stripes, decorative stitching, a lapel flower and a distressed finish. Shoppers and social media users objected to the design, saying its stripes and details evoked uniforms worn by Holocaust prisoners. Some also said parts of the pattern resembled barbed wire. Those were critics’ interpretations of the costume’s appearance; the supplied reports do not establish the intent behind its design. The product listing was reported as absent from Zara’s website on Wednesday. Accounts do not establish precisely when it was removed, and the company has not given a reason. A customer who contacted Zara said the company replied that it was aware of the issue and had passed it internally for prompt attention.