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Fast fashion brand Zara is facing immense backlash online after their latest advertisement campaign for 'The Jacket.' Amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, the Spanish clothing retailer has been accused of being anti-Palestine. This comes after model Kristen McMenamy posed with mannequins covered in white cloth and plastic.
Zara recently released 'The Jacket' collection, highlighting the garment's versatility. The collection is part of the brand's Atelier series, "a limited-edition collection from the house celebrating our commitment to craftsmanship and passion for artistic expression."
In pictures going viral, one can see mannequins covered in white clothing and plastic, which has been compared to people who died in the Gaza bombings. Hindustan Times also reported that one could see an upside-down map of Palestine in the background of the ad campaign.
Model Kristen McMenamy posed in the middle of the ad campaign, leading her to garner intense hate online. Several netizens flooded her Instagram comment section asking her to address why she was part of the “genocide-themed photoshoot.” A few comments on her Instagram account read:
Zara model Kristen McMenamy is 57 years old
Kristen McMenamy has been part of the modeling industry for over three decades. She debuted at a 1985 Jil Sander fashion show at the young age of 18. Since then, she has worked with numerous fashion houses, including Chanel, Versace, Valentino, and Marc Jacobs.
As models like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell graced the covers epitomizing glamor, McMenamy was known for her unique bleach eyebrows and signature long and grey mane.
She was married to photographer Miles Aldridge. The pair met at a W magazine photoshoot and tied the knot in 1997. Karl Lagerfeld famously walked McMenamy down the aisle. The duo are parents to two children. McMenamy is also a parent to a child from her previous marriage.
Sadly, the marriage ended in a divorce after her husband confessed to adultery. Speaking about the same to a British news outlet, she said:
“We have a good relationship, as you can expect after everything that’s happened.”
The Easton, Pennsylvania native has amassed nearly 200K followers on Instagram. She has not shared much of her personal life on the social networking site.
Zara head designer’s anti-Palestine comment resurfaces online amidst the brand’s latest scandal
Not only has McMenamy come under intense scrutiny online, but Vanessa Perilman, the brand’s head designer of Zara Women, has garnered backlash for her anti-Palestine rhetoric as well. In a DM to a pro-Palestine advocate, Perilman said in 2021:
“Maybe if your people were educated, then they wouldn’t blow up hospitals and schools that Israel helped to pay for Gaza.”
At the time of writing this article, Zara and Kristen McMenamy had not addressed their current predicament.
