Popular fashion retail brand Zara is in hot water no thanks to Pepe The Frog. Pepe is a famous internet meme created by Matt Furie (if you didn’t already know). He gained momentum in 2008 on our favorite social media platform, Myspace and by 2015, was the most common memes used. Here is why Zara is in deep sh*t.
For those unfamiliar with the movement, they are centered around white supremacy ideologies. Donald Trump voters adopted the meme as a means of promoting “You Can’t Stump the Trump.” Pepe the Frog has appeared in propaganda supporting the wall and other irrational bigotry created by Trump. I mean come on, the president re-tweeted an image of himself as Pepe the Frog. It should come of no surprise Zara had to recall the skirt; it’s heinous to begin with. I hope you’re not one of the few people who purchased this skirt.
Chicago Twitter user, Meagan Fredette, pointed out the Pepe the Frog skirt after browsing their website with a tweet that took the nation by storm accidentally: “This is bad.” (Chances are Meagan doesn’t shop at Zara much anymore).
Not sure why a retail company headquartered in Arteixo, Spain, would approve of putting a symbol compared to Adolf Hitler and Donald Trump on their clothes. Were they trying to be “retro” simply in relation to the comic? After all, Zara has put Pink Panther and Rolling Stones patches on their shorts.
The vintage mentality is definitely a possibility if we’re playing devil’s advocate here. Regardless, Zara has definitely paid the price. This isn’t the first time; Zara has recalled questionable clothing. Back in 2014 they released a shirt that looked like the wardrobe of a Holocaust prisoner.
Even though Furie has publically spoken out about having Pepe the Frog in association with white nationalism and anti-Semitism as his worst nightmare, the media’s prevalence and recent presidential campaign make it hard to dispel Pepe’s racist affiliations. While the designer’s artistic intent is questionable, Zara is to blame; they should have seen the product prior to releasing it. Sorry Zara, you’re the one at fault. Looks like you should stick to Rolling Stones and Pink Panther patches.
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