Dear fashion people: Please stop trying to make “blackface” happen.
First it was Prada. Then Gucci. Now, pop star Katy Perry (who, yes, is apparently a fashion designer) is in hot water for selling shoes that evoke — intentionally or not — the racist imagery.
The styles in question — a pair of mules and some high-heeled sandals — feature eyes and big red lips, resembling minstrel makeup.
TMZ reports that retailers Dillards and Walmart will pull the offending styles, though not the whole line, from their stores after facing social media backlash.
The incident comes just days after luxe label Gucci pulled a turtleneck featuring a mouth cover with wide red lips from its website. In December, Prada incited anger with a range of accessories featuring black characters with oversize lips.