// Louis Vuitton facing backlash for releasing a ‘Jamaica’ jumper but with the wrong flag colours
// The £995 menswear item was criticised over social media
// Louis Vuitton said it “deeply regrets the error”
Louis Vuitton has been criticised for producing a ‘Jamaican’ jumper that features the wrong flag colours.
The label’s £995 menswear item, called the Jamaican Stripe Jumper, featured three wide stripes in green, yellow and red – but the Jamaica flag features green, yellow and black.
The inaccuracy was called out on Twitter as users expressed their concerns over the lack of diversity within teams in fashion houses.
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https://twitter.com/pam_boy/status/1356391949490483200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1356391949490483200%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insider.com%2Flouis-vuitton-sweater-jamaica-flag-wrong-colors-2021-2
The item has since been removed from the official Louis Vuitton website, with a “404 page not found” error message found instead.
When the item first appeared online, the product description read: “With striped design inspired by Caribbean island’s national flag.”
After updating the description of the jumper to remove the word “flag” and swap it with “cultural heritage”, the product was removed.
Many Twitter users have commented that this points to the need for more retailers to work at every level in order to battle structural racism.
This isn’t the first time that luxury fashion has launched a controversial item. Gucci released a blackface jumper in 2019 and has since issued an apology “for the offence caused”, while Burberry came under fire for showcasing a hoodie with a noose during London Fashion Week in 2019.
Louis Vuitton responded by saying it “deeply regrets the error”. It added that the sweater is from the spring-summer 2021 men’s collection, throughout which green, yellow and red, the colours of the Ethiopian flag and a hallmark of African independence, were used.
Twitter users pointed out that the pullover appeared to draw inspiration from the Rastafarian flag, which refers to the religious movement often symbolized by green, yellow, and red.
Can somebody tell @LouisVuitton this is NOT how to handle the issue?
Here is the Jamaican flag 🇯🇲 … it literally pops up when you type in “Jamaica” on every phone.
Changing the description doesn’t erase the disrespect to Jamaican people and culture. pic.twitter.com/NsyoPVslnp
— Armelle Aurelya Ferguson (@armelleferguson) February 3, 2021
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