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Israeli Fashion Label Reinstated by Net-A-Porter & Mytheresa After Designer Clarifies Instagram Post
Edited by: TJVNews.com
Israeli designer Dodo Bar Or, whose fashion offerings were initially removed from luxury online retailers Mytheresa and Net-A-Porter, has been reinstated by both platforms after issuing a clarification regarding a controversial video she posted on Instagram in relation to the October 7th Hamas terror attack on Israel which resulted in the deaths of more than 1400 people and left 5000 injured, as was reported by the New York Post. This decision follows a swift response to the social media outcry and subsequent discussions between the designer and the retailers.
The controversy began when online retailer Net-A-Porter decided to “suspend” Dodo Bar Or from its platform. The Post reported that in a statement, Net-A-Porter emphasized its stance against “discrimination, hate, and violence” on their platforms. Simultaneously, Mytheresa, another luxury online retailer, quietly removed the designer’s upscale label from its site.
However, both retailers changed their course on Thursday, with Mytheresa releasing its first statement on the matter. They explained, “Over the weekend we became aware of a video posted by a designer that we felt crossed the line into inflammatory content. We moved quickly to remove the related brand from Mytheresa.com. The original post has been removed, and context was provided in the meantime by the designer. We have taken the decision to bring the brand back online,” according to the Post report.
A spokesman for Dodo Bar Or, the Israeli designer, stated that the designer had been in contact with the retailers during this period of suspension and controversy.
The root of the issue lay in a video posted by Dodo Bar Or, depicting a scene from the movie “Independence Day.” The Post report indicated that in this clip, a spaceship is surrounded by Palestinian flags and flags associated with ISIS, destroying a tower bearing the flags of Western nations, including the United States and Great Britain. In the background, the Muslim call to prayer, known as Adhan, can be heard as the tower erupts in a fireball, and the words “The West is Next” appear across the screen.
In response to the controversy, Dodo Bar Or released a statement on Instagram, expressing that she had not realized that the video’s background contained the voice of Adhan and that her intention was not to offend anyone, the Post report added. Simultaneously, she reiterated her condemnation of the barbaric Hamas attack. She highlighted her support for her country by assisting in the search for missing people from the Supernova music festival in southern Israel, raising funds for families whose houses were destroyed by the bloodthirsty Hamas terrorists, and advocating for awareness of such crimes worldwide, the report added.
Pro-Palestine influencers and consumers swiftly responded to the video, alerting the retailers about Dodo Bar Or’s social media posts, which subsequently led to her temporary removal from their platforms, the Post reported. In contrast, the designer’s supporters mobilized, threatening boycotts of Mytheresa and Net-A-Porter.
Notably, while Dodo Bar Or’s fashion offerings were reinstated, a situation involving Sephora, a major beauty retailer, has garnered attention. As was noted in the Post report, pro-Israel supporters have launched a change.org petition with around 21,000 signatures, calling on Sephora to cease selling products by a pro-Palestine beauty entrepreneur, Huda Kattan. Kattan had expressed that she “doesn’t want blood money” from Israeli customers. As of now, Sephora has not responded to the petition or The Post’s requests for comments.
The swift response from online retailers and consumers to the actions and statements of public figures highlights the complex and sensitive nature of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which continues to have a profound impact on various aspects of public life, from fashion to retail.
