Inditex (ITX.MC), which owns Zara, said the change was part of its normal procedure of refreshing content. It did not comment on the boycott calls, but said the “Atelier” collection was conceived in July and the photos were taken in September. The war between Israel and Hamas began after Oct. 7

Zara’s Instagram account saw tens of thousands of comments posted about the photos, many with Palestinian flags, while “#BoycottZara” was trending on messaging platform X.

In one of the photos a model is pictured carrying a mannequin wrapped in white, in another a bust lies on the floor and another features a mannequin with no arms. Critics said they resembled photos of corpses in white shrouds in Gaza.

Zara said at the launch of the collection on Dec. 7 that it was inspired by men’s tailoring from past centuries. The photos appear to show an artist studio with ladders, packing materials, wooden crates and cranes, and assistants wearing overalls.

The reaction highlights heightened sensitivity international brands are navigating as fighting across Gaza intensifies and calls for company boycotts rise. The CEO of Web Summit resigned in October after comments he made on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The photos, which featured on Zara’s online store home page on Monday morning, were no longer visible on the website or on its app by 1230 GMT.

A link on the UK website to Zara Atelier led to a page showcasing last year’s collection.

The collection, of six jackets, is one of Zara’s most expensive, priced from $229 for a grey wool blazer with chunky knit sleeves, to $799 for a studded leather jacket.

It’s not the first time an advertising campaign has landed a fashion label in controversy.

French luxury group Kering last year set up a group level position to oversee brand safety after advertising images from its label Balenciaga featuring children sparked a backlash that dented sales.

Dolce & Gabbana was removed from ecommerce sites in China in 2018 after a campaign showing models struggling to eat typical Italian food with chopsticks — decried as racist by local celebrities and social media.

Zara last year came under fire from some Palestinians and Israelis after the head of the retailer’s local franchise in Israel hosted a campaign event for an ultranationalist politician.

Inditex (ITX.MC), which owns Zara, said the change was part of its normal procedure of refreshing content. It did not comment on the boycott calls, but said the “Atelier” collection was conceived in July and the photos were taken in September. The war between Israel and Hamas began after Oct. 7

Zara’s Instagram account saw tens of thousands of comments posted about the photos, many with Palestinian flags, while “#BoycottZara” was trending on messaging platform X.

In one of the photos a model is pictured carrying a mannequin wrapped in white, in another a bust lies on the floor and another features a mannequin with no arms. Critics said they resembled photos of corpses in white shrouds in Gaza.

Zara said at the launch of the collection on Dec. 7 that it was inspired by men’s tailoring from past centuries. The photos appear to show an artist studio with ladders, packing materials, wooden crates and cranes, and assistants wearing overalls.

The reaction highlights heightened sensitivity international brands are navigating as fighting across Gaza intensifies and calls for company boycotts rise. The CEO of Web Summit resigned in October after comments he made on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The photos, which featured on Zara’s online store home page on Monday morning, were no longer visible on the website or on its app by 1230 GMT.

A link on the UK website to Zara Atelier led to a page showcasing last year’s collection.

The collection, of six jackets, is one of Zara’s most expensive, priced from $229 for a grey wool blazer with chunky knit sleeves, to $799 for a studded leather jacket.

It’s not the first time an advertising campaign has landed a fashion label in controversy.

French luxury group Kering last year set up a group level position to oversee brand safety after advertising images from its label Balenciaga featuring children sparked a backlash that dented sales.

Dolce & Gabbana was removed from ecommerce sites in China in 2018 after a campaign showing models struggling to eat typical Italian food with chopsticks — decried as racist by local celebrities and social media.

Zara last year came under fire from some Palestinians and Israelis after the head of the retailer’s local franchise in Israel hosted a campaign event for an ultranationalist politician.

London (Reuters) – Zara owner Inditex (ITX.MC) is in the process of stopping purchases from Myanmar, the company told Reuters on Thursday, as a result of a campaign by global workers’ union IndustriALL to convince companies to divest from the country.

“Inditex is in the process of a phased and responsible exit from Myanmar, following IndustriALL’s call,” a company spokesperson wrote in an email. “As a result, we continue to reduce the number of active manufacturers in the country.”

Inditex did not give a timeline for its exit. It does not publish a list of suppliers, so it was not immediately clear how many factories in Myanmar are supplying the fast-fashion giant.

Myanmar, a major producer of garments for Western brands and retailers, has been run by a military junta since a February 2021 coup. IndustriALL argues that labour rights have been eroded since then.

Brands and retailers have been under pressure to disengage, but their exit could cause job losses and further economic pain for workers. Spanish fast-fashion retailer Mango told Reuters it has stopped sourcing from Myanmar.

Inditex has an agreement with IndustriALL since 2007, which it renewed in 2022, according to its annual report. The agreement commits the company to maintain dialogue with trade unions and to address the needs of workers throughout the supply chain.

The European Union funds a project in Myanmar called MADE, a successor to the Smart Factories project that worked to improve conditions in the country’s garment factories. Seventeen retails, including H&M, Adidas, Bestseller and other brands, are members of MADE.

“The EU and MADE partners believe that the interests of workers are best served by ongoing sourcing from the country, provided that this is pursued responsibly,” Mario Ronconi, head of unit at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, wrote in a June 28 letter to the president of the Industrial Workers’ Federation of Myanmar, shared with Reuters by IndustriALL.

News site Sourcing Journal reported last month that Inditex planned to exit Myanmar.