Miu Miu has pulled a clothing line featuring yellow star-shaped patches amid criticism. The Italian fashion house, a subsidiary of Prada and headed by designer Miuccia Prada, confirmed on Thursday that it would drop all garments from the fall/winter 2017 collection that bear five-pointed stars with men's names embroidered them after critics pointed out the patches resembled the six-pointed Star of David that Jewish people were forced to wear during the Holocaust.
Miu Miu spokeswoman Preia Narendra apologised if the clothes caused any offence.
"Thank you for bringing this to our attention," she said in a statement. "It was not Miu Miu's intent in any way to make any political or religious statement, and we apologise for any offence that may have been taken. Kindly note that effective immediately these items will be removed from the collection."
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Photos of clothes, including a denim jacket, skirt, and dress, with the yellow star patch have also been circulated online. Other items in the collection featured colourful patches in the shape of rectangles or red or purple stars.
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In response to Miu Miu's decision, World Jewish Congress chief executive officer Robert Singer commended the label on its quick action.
"The World Jewish Congress commends Miu Miu and its parent company Prada on its swift attention and action to the concerns we raised regarding the use of the yellow star on its clothing items," he stated. "At this critical time, when anti-Semitism and bigotry are rearing their heads in the public sphere, we must continue to exercise caution and show sensitivity in every sphere and sector."
This is not the first time a fashion company has come under fire for using a yellow star in clothing. In 2014, high street label Zara apologised for selling a shirt with a six-pointed yellow star on the chest designed for toddler boys that were described as a "striped sheriff T-shirt."