SHEIN E-COMMERCE RETAILER SLAMMED FOR CULTURAL APPROPRIATION

Fast-fashion retailer Shein is under fire for recently selling a gold swastika necklace on its global e-commerce store. Many social media users have labeled the brand to be insensitive and ignorant regarding cultures and religions.

Last Thursday, activist and YouTuber Nabela Noor shared her frustration on Instagram about the brand's lack of cultural awareness when selling the labeled “Metal Swastika Pendant Necklace.” Nablea wrote on Instagram, “I am so disgusted by @Sheinoffical ‘s sheer ignorance and blatant disrespect towards other cultures and religions…Seeing this today makes me feel sick to my stomach and question the authenticity of Shein’s apology. I am contacting the Head of Brand today and bringing this to his attention directly but need your help to require change as well.”

Only a week before this incident, Nablea addressed Shein for culturally appropriating prayer mats and calling them “tassel trim carpets”, while also discrediting South Asian style by white women modeling similar clothing and erasing the significance of the culture. Nabela successfully brought the issue to the Head of Brand that was followed up with a public apology and product removal.

Shein's apology was issued to Teen Vogue:

“For the record, SHEIN was not selling a Nazi swastika pendant, the necklace is a Buddhist swastika which has symbolized spirituality and good fortune for more than a thousand years. The Nazi swastika has a different design. It is pointed clockwise and tilted at an angle. However, because we understand the two symbols can be confused and one is highly offensive, we have removed the product from our site.

As a multicultural and global brand, we want to apologize profusely to those who are offended, we are sensitive to these issues and want to be very clear that we in no way support or condone racial, cultural and religious prejudice or hostility. We are actively working through our internal structure and processes to resolve these issues, including a product review committee to ensure that we respect our diverse community. We are a global and all-inclusive brand and we are taking extreme measures to ensure that all items are cleared through a rigorous vetting process before we retail them.”

Shein’s statement seems like more of a “clap back” rather than taking accountability for their lack of ignorance and a genuine apology to those offended by the product. Since the Buddhist swastika was appropriated by the Nazis, it is commonly identified as a hateful symbol to people of the Jewish religion and POC (people of color).

In the climate of justice, situations like anti-Semitism and culture appropriation must be brought to consumer's attention to protect vulnerable communities. Unethical fast-fashion brands will continue to mass-produce insensitive items such as this if it not brought to consumer's attention. As a consumer vocalize your frustrations and force companies to #payup.