Zara faces criticism over children's costume

The Zara brand has found itself at the center of criticism due to a children's costume intended for Halloween. Some customers noted that the design of this outfit resembles the uniforms worn by prisoners in the Auschwitz concentration camp during the Holocaust.

We are talking about Zara's children's costume named Kids' Halloween Groom Costume. Priced at 39.99 British pounds, the two-piece outfit is offered in gray and blue colors.

Critics stated that the vertical stripes, distressed look, and cut of the costume bear an uncomfortable resemblance to concentration camp prisoner uniforms. Some users even mentioned that certain parts of the pattern on the clothing resemble barbed wire.

According to Need To Know, Zara described the outfit as a "children's costume featuring a vertical stripe design, decorative stitching, a flower on the lapel, and a distressed effect."

The two-piece costume consists of a cardigan and shorts, made from a blend of cotton and polyester.

The costume's design also provoked a sharp reaction from users on social networks. One of them appealed to Zara, leaving the question: "How do you think this will be received?"

Another customer wrote: "If this is true, I hope no one, absolutely no one, buys anything from Zara ever again."

A third user ironically pointed out that if the brand wanted to "put an end" to the costume worn by their grandfather who was in Auschwitz, all that was left was to add the prisoner number.

However, not all customers compared the costume to a concentration camp uniform. Some said it is more reminiscent of the famous black-and-white striped suit from the movie "Beetlejuice."

Naomi Mestrum, director of the Israeli Information and Documentation Center, also noted that this design evokes associations with the Holocaust and that this situation is painful.

"I completely understand the reaction of people who are unhappy with such a situation," she said.

Mestrum did not call on Zara to necessarily withdraw the costume from sale. She also stated that she does not believe there was a deliberate or malicious intent behind the clothing design.

"If you don't feel such a painful memory within yourself, you might not notice this similarity right away. I think an ordinary customer walking past a Zara store wouldn't notice it immediately either," she said.

This incident is not the first time Zara has faced similar criticism.

In 2014, the brand recalled a striped top produced for children that resembled concentration camp prisoner clothing. The star-shaped badge on that outfit also caused objections from customers.

In 2007, Zara withdrew a bag from sale after criticism that the pattern on its design resembled a swastika.

Regarding the latest costume, Zara representatives responded to a complaining customer: "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. We are aware of this situation and have forwarded it internally to the relevant department to resolve the issue as quickly as possible."

As of the morning of October 2, it was no longer possible to find this costume on Zara's official United Kingdom website.

At the same time, the company has not yet issued an official public statement regarding this situation.