Just December of last year, Prada received the same kind of criticism over their Manhattan storefront theme. And just a week ago, Gucci finds itself in deep water over the look of their sweater. Now, another brand, this time by pop icon Katy Perry, has been criticized over her shoes' design that resembles imagery that evokes racism, more specifically: blackface.
The artist is in the crosshairs over two pairs of black sandals from her eponymous footwear collection that feature geometric eyes, a nose, and a pair of bright red lips. The sandals called The Rua and The Ora, come in a range of colorways, including gold, red, silver and nude. Perry insists on her Katy Perry Collections website that the collection is "Designed 100% by Katy Perry."
Perry issued a statement saying she was "saddened when it was brought to my attention that it was being compared to painful images reminiscent of blackface."
"Our intention was never to inflict any pain," she said in a joint statement with Global Brands Group.
Perry said the overall aesthetic of the collection was "envisioned as a nod to modern art and surrealism." The shoes in the line are described as "inspired by Katy's travels, humor and extraordinary imagination" on her website.
The shoes have been removed from Perry's website and from other sites that carry the brand.
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