As a Black woman who has spent her entire life navigating the complexities of racial bias and discrimination, I am deeply saddened yet not entirely surprised by this latest incident involving Bath & Body Works. It is disheartening to see such a well-known brand make such an insensitive mistake, one that harkens back to a painful chapter in our nation’s history.
Bath & Body Works is owning up to a major oversight.
After people on social media drew comparisons between a new winter-themed candle’s design of a paper snowflake and the hoods worn by the Ku Klux Klan, the retailer issued an apology for any offense caused.
At Bath & Body Works, we prioritize hearing from our employees and customers, and make it a point to correct any errors – even the ones that happen unintentionally, like in this case. We extend our sincere apologies to anyone who might have been upset, and are promptly taking steps to eliminate this item from our collection. We’re also reviewing our procedures to ensure such incidents don’t occur again in the future.
The candle, once known as the “Klandle” and the “KKKandle” on Twitter by critics, had a snowflake-like design with rounded edges meeting at a point, and two openings in the center. Some observed that its pattern resembled the hoods worn by the American white supremacist group.
The Ku Klux Klan is known as one of the oldest and most notorious hate organizations in America. Historically, they employed violent intimidation to discourage Black Americans, along with any white individuals who supported post-Civil War reforms (Reconstruction), from voting and seeking political positions. This information comes from the Southern Poverty Law Center. Additionally, the image of a hooded Klansman has become widely recognized as a symbol of hate, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
Social media users slammed the company for not noticing the potential comparisons earlier.
On October 10, someone commented: “Taking away that candle was indeed essential,” they said. “I can’t believe such a design managed to reach the shelves. It’s not merely a branding error; it serves as a stark reminder of the delicate nature of cultural symbols.
Another questioned, “How’d this even get approved by Bath & Body Works?”
Meanwhile, others admitted they didn’t see the comparison at first.
Meanwhile, others admitted they didn’t see the comparison at first.
A different user commented that it seems unlikely Bath & Body Works intended anything but a snowflake. However, once you notice the issue, it’s hard to ignore why these items have been removed from stores.
As a devoted follower, I must admit that the response regarding the product’s design was not unanimous. While some users stood firm in their criticism of the company’s choice to withdraw the product from the market, others seemed less opposed to this move.
One Instagram user noted, “Apparently, it’s intended to resemble the paper snowflakes we used to create at school.
The original user stated that it’s unlikely Bath & Body Works intended anything other than a simple snowflake design. However, after seeing the reason for their removal from stores, it’s impossible for me to ignore it now.
On the other hand, opinions on the design were split, as some consumers voiced their displeasure over the company’s move to withdraw the product from sale.
According to one Instagram comment, it appears that the design is intended to resemble a traditional paper snowflake, much like those we folded in school.
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2024-10-14 19:20