Zara pulls children's Halloween costume after Nazi camp uniform criticism
Version 2: Fresh reporting added the product's formal name, its cotton-polyester composition and British price, an alternative reading that the costume evoked the film Beetlejuice, comments from the head of Israel's CIDI, and a framing of the episode as Zara's third such design controversy in ten years.
In short
Zara stopped selling a children's Halloween costume priced at 39.99 euros (about 60,000 won) after critics said its vertical stripes, barbed-wire-like print, worn sleeves and sleeve patch recalled Nazi concentration camp prisoner clothing. The company said it regretted any misunderstanding the outfit may have caused but did not explain why its pre-launch review missed the design. Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that some saw the outfit as evoking the striped costume in the film Beetlejuice, and the head of an Israeli information centre on the Holocaust said the association was painful while not accusing Zara of intent.
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Zara has stopped selling a children's Halloween costume after critics said it resembled the clothing of Nazi concentration camp prisoners, according to Korean business outlets. The two-piece set was priced at 39.99 euros, about 60,000 won, and was sold on the Spanish brand's European online store, Dong-A Ilbo reported. Kyunghyang Shinmun named the item the “Kids Halloween Groom Costume,” said it was priced at 39.99 pounds in Britain and about 39 euros in Spain, described it as 50 percent cotton and 50 percent polyester, and reported that Zara said it was no longer sold in stores or online. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
The reports focused on the design. The garment had vertical stripes, a print compared to barbed wire and sleeves finished to look worn or torn, according to Hankook Ilbo, Maeil Business and Dong-A Ilbo. Critics also pointed to a patch on the sleeve and a decoration on the chest, which they said recalled the number tags and identification marks given to camp prisoners, the outlets reported. The documents differ on the colour of the stripes: Dong-A Ilbo describes them as grey and blue, Hankook Ilbo and Maeil Business as white and blue, and Kyunghyang Shinmun as blue and grey. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 9 ]
The criticism spread after Israeli journalist Gilhar shared the outfit on X. Dong-A Ilbo quoted him calling it a “Nazi forced labor camp” style, while Hankook Ilbo, Maeil Business and Kyunghyang Shinmun quoted him saying Zara had once again shocked European customers with a “nightmarish” Nazi concentration camp style idea. Austrian public broadcaster ORF reported that the garment's decoration and sleeve patch recalled barbed wire and prisoner numbers, Kyunghyang Shinmun said, and the US Jewish Telegraphic Agency also covered the item, according to Dong-A Ilbo. The outlets transliterate the journalist's given name differently, as Dov or Don. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 9 ]
Not all interpretations were the same. Kyunghyang Shinmun, citing Britain's Independent, said some saw the outfit as recalling the striped costume worn by the title character in the film Beetlejuice rather than camp clothing. Na'omi Mestrum, director of the Israel Information and Documentation Center (CIDI), told the paper that the association with the Holocaust was painful, but that she did not consider the design malicious and did not demand that the item be withdrawn, adding that people without direct historical experience might make the connection later. [ 9 ]
After the criticism spread, Zara withdrew the product. The company said it regretted any misunderstanding the Halloween children's outfit may have caused, according to several outlets. Hankook Ilbo, Maeil Business and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that Zara gave no explanation of why its internal pre-launch review had failed to identify the resemblance to camp clothing. [ 2 , 3 , 7 , 9 ]
The reports note that this is not the first time Zara has faced such criticism. In 2014 it sold a children's striped shirt with a yellow star on the left chest, which critics said recalled the marking imposed on Jewish prisoners; Zara withdrew the item and said the design had been inspired by a sheriff's outfit in classic western films, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. In 2007 the brand sold a handbag decorated with a green swastika, according to Hankook Ilbo, Maeil Business and Kyunghyang Shinmun. Korea Economic Daily described the latest episode as Zara's third design controversy in ten years. [ 2 , 3 , 6 , 9 ]
Why it matters
The withdrawal again puts Zara's pre-launch design review under scrutiny, since the reports say the brand drew similar criticism over a yellow-star children's shirt in 2014 and a swastika-decorated bag in 2007, and one outlet framed this as its third such controversy in ten years. Because the complaint surfaced on social media and was taken up by German, Austrian, Spanish, British, Israeli and Korean media within days, a single children's item became a reputational issue for a global retailer.
Key facts
- Zara stopped selling a children's Halloween outfit after criticism that it resembled the clothing of Nazi concentration camp prisoners. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- The two-piece set, which Kyunghyang Shinmun named the “Kids Halloween Groom Costume,” was priced at 39.99 euros, about 60,000 won. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
- The outfit had vertical stripes, a print compared to barbed wire, and sleeves treated to look worn or torn. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 9 ]
- Critics said a patch on the sleeve and a decoration on the chest recalled prisoner number tags and identification marks. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 9 ]
- Israeli journalist Gilhar shared the outfit on X and criticised it as a Nazi concentration camp style design. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 9 ]
- Zara said it regretted any misunderstanding the Halloween children's outfit may have caused, and did not explain why its internal review had not flagged the design. [ 2 , 3 , 7 , 9 ]
- The reports recall a 2014 Zara children's striped shirt with a yellow star on the chest and a 2007 handbag decorated with a swastika. [ 2 , 3 , 9 ]
- Korea Economic Daily described the episode as Zara's third design controversy in ten years. [ 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Zara withdrew a children's Halloween outfit after criticism that it resembled the clothing of Nazi concentration camp prisoners. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- The outfit was priced at 39.99 euros, about 60,000 won. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 ]
- The design used vertical stripes, a print compared to barbed wire and sleeves made to look worn, and critics said it recalled prisoner uniforms. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 9 ]
- Israeli journalist Gilhar shared the product on X and called it a Nazi concentration camp style outfit. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 9 ]
- Zara said it regretted any misunderstanding the outfit may have caused. [ 2 , 3 , 7 , 9 ]
- Zara has not explained why the design was not flagged during its pre-launch product review. [ 2 , 3 , 7 , 9 ]
- Zara drew similar criticism in 2014 over a children's striped shirt with a yellow star and in 2007 over a bag decorated with a swastika. [ 2 , 3 , 9 ]
Still unclear
- The colour of the stripes. Dong-A Ilbo describes them as grey and blue, Hankook Ilbo and Maeil Business as white and blue, and Kyunghyang Shinmun as blue and grey; no document resolves the discrepancy.
- The name of the Israeli journalist who posted the criticism. Dong-A Ilbo writes Dov Gilhar, while Hankook Ilbo, Maeil Business and Kyunghyang Shinmun write Don Gilhar; the documents do not say which is correct.
- The price outside the euro figure. Kyunghyang Shinmun says the set sold for 39.99 pounds in Britain and about 39 euros in Spain, while other outlets give 39.99 euros; only one document states the British price.
- When the outfit went on sale, when it was withdrawn, and whether it was sold beyond Zara's European online store. Only Hankook Ilbo says it was launched last month, only Dong-A Ilbo mentions the European online store, and no document gives a withdrawal time.
- Whether the item was removed from physical stores as well as online. Only Kyunghyang Shinmun reports that Zara said it was no longer sold in stores and online; other documents say only that the sale was stopped.
- Which foreign outlets first reported the controversy. Dong-A Ilbo cites Austria's ORF and Spain's Cadena SER, Hankook Ilbo and Maeil Business cite Germany's Die Zeit and Der Spiegel, and no document says who broke the story.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Dong-A Ilbo publishes a report citing Austria's ORF and Spain's Cadena SER and noting the sale on Zara's European online store. [ 1 ]
- Hankook Ilbo publishes a report citing Germany's Die Zeit and Der Spiegel, adding Zara's statement of regret and the earlier 2014 and 2007 controversies. [ 2 ]
- Maeil Business publishes a report, also citing Die Zeit, saying Zara withdrew the outfit after the backlash. [ 3 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo publishes a second report citing Der Spiegel, describing the sleeve patch and chest decoration as resembling prisoner identification marks. [ 4 ]
- Korea Economic Daily describes the episode as Zara's third design controversy in ten years. [ 6 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports, citing Die Zeit, that the sale was stopped and cites the US Jewish Telegraphic Agency. [ 7 ]
- The next morning Kyunghyang Shinmun publishes the most detailed account, naming the product, its materials and British price, the Beetlejuice comparison and comments from the head of Israel's CIDI. [ 9 ]