Matthew M Williams, creative director, showed the accessory at Paris Fashion Week. Many compared it to Burberry’s noose jacket.
Matthew M Williams, Givenchy’s creative director, was criticized for a necklace that resembling a noose was included in their collection.
Yesterday’s Paris debut of the spring/summer men’s and women’s shows featured an accessory that looked like a broken noose. Many people online noticed its similarity with Burberry’s “noose jacket”, which was featured in their fall/winter 2019 collection. At the time, Marco Gobbetti, the chief executive of Burberry, apologised saying he was “deeply sorry for the distress.” Creative director Riccardo Tisci, who was Williams’ predecessor at Givenchy, said it was ” insensitive.”
Fashion industry watchdog Diet Prada pointed out the similarities between Burberry’s “noose necklace” and the Burberry hoodie. He wrote on Instagram: “You would think the industry would have learned not to place things that resemble nooses around the neck of a model… really makes one wonder how no-one noticed but alas, history repeats itself.”
Angela McRobbie is a professor of media, communication and cultural studies at Goldsmiths University of London. She also expressed frustration with the imagery. She told the Guardian that she was unsure what to do given the weary and tired ‘desire for shock’ or absolute thoughtlessness. “For me, the most important questions are those that never get answered. Is it the person who approves such offensive products? After a reaction, does one get fired?” She asked. “Is there an agenda to shock, then quickly withdraw the offending item for the media attention it receives?” Liz Kennedy, the Burberry model, wrote a lengthy caption on Instagram. She wrote, “Suicide does not belong in fashion.” “… Who could have thought that this would be acceptable, especially for a young girl’s line?… And what about the increasing suicide rates around the world? We can’t forget the horrible history of lynching.”
Papyrus, a suicide prevention charity, said Lisa Roxby to the Guardian that imagery can trigger a person’s feelings about suicide. Brands have to make sure they don’t cause harm to their audience.
Givenchy stated to the Guardian that “The house don’t have an official answer on this.”
