Converse has apologised for a controversial advert featuring K-pop star Karina after critics compared its imagery with the Ku Klux Klan and lynching.
The campaign for the global Chuck 70 X range showed Karina holding a pair of black trainers. The lighting and positioning made the shoes appear to hang beneath a large, pointed piece of white fabric, which some viewers said resembled a Klan hood.
The image prompted outrage online, with critics arguing that the dangling footwear evoked imagery associated with lynching.
Converse has since removed the advert from its social media accounts and other platforms, and apologised for the campaign.
In a statement, the company said it understood why the image was “deeply upsetting”, acknowledged that it had “got this wrong” and pledged to do better.
There is no indication that Converse intended to reference the Ku Klux Klan or lynching. However, critics have questioned how the image passed through the company’s approval process.
