Zara has finally been forced to pull its ‘no shoes’ campaign after it was criticised for the ‘clumsy and offensive’ slogan.
The US retailer has also been criticised for not using its own name to mark the campaign, which featured celebrities such as Rihanna and Gwen Stefani wearing no-shoe-embroidered outfits.
The slogan was first introduced in a campaign for Zara by US fashion brand L’Oreal, and has been widely praised by fashion insiders.
It is widely thought to be the first time a retailer has ever attempted to change its name in the name of a campaign.
Zara said it was disappointed by the backlash, adding it would continue to ‘engage with our customers and their favourite brands to provide them with a great experience’.
The ‘no shoe’ campaign launched last month and is designed to ‘challenge the concept of wearing shoes in public’.
It featured a variety of popular celebrities, including Rihanna, Gwen and Beyoncé.
“We were disappointed that some people didn’t like the new ‘No Shoes’ slogan and the inclusion of a celebrity’s name.
We are continuing to engage with our fans and their favourites brands to ensure they are fully engaged,” a Zara spokesperson told The Independent.”
While we believe in supporting and supporting our customers, we are disappointed in the criticism of the campaign and we are working hard to address the issue.”
The spokesperson also said that ‘no boots’ was not a new campaign, as ‘No Boots’ was first used in 2011, but had not yet been used by a US brand.
Zaira said it had received an overwhelming response to its ‘No Shoes’ and was continuing to listen to feedback from its fans.
“It’s been incredibly supportive of our brand.
The response we’ve received has been incredible,” the spokesperson said.
“We’re excited about this new campaign and looking forward to continuing to evolve our messaging to reflect our customers’ needs and beliefs.”
