Forever 21 faces backlash after featuring white model wearing 'Wakanda Forever' sweater on its website
Fast-fashion retailer Forever 21 quickly found itself in hot water on Tuesday afternoon when it tweeted a link to a Black Panther-inspired sweater on its site, worn by a white model.
The phrase “Wakanda Forever” comes from the wildly successful Marvel film Black Panther and has evolved into a greeting used among those who identify with the nearly all-black cast of characters.
People discovered the sweater when the brand tweeted it out, which in turn incited a number of unfavorable responses.
The tweet was quickly removed. However, as of Tuesday afternoon, the photos remain on Forever 21’s website.
Screenshots are forever. @Forever21 .
Y'all really put a COLONIZER in a Wakanda shirt. pic.twitter.com/pnM7BY06yI
— This page cannot be reached. △?? (@Unaamorcita) December 18, 2018
They got a super pale, blond, blue-eyed model in a Wakanda Forever sweater… 🤣🤣🤣
I wanna speak to your advertising department, @Forever21. Someone approved this and thought this was going to work. 😂 https://t.co/aWefYUeBfY
— Britain (@sanefacade) December 18, 2018
You had one job @Forever21 pic.twitter.com/0A3WWbB8m1
— Wheelchair Jerry (@BostonJerry) December 18, 2018
Forever 21 knows exactly what they're doing with that ghost in the shell man in the african kitty sweater and here ya'll go given them the attention they want
— cultured butter bae (@jilleeann_) December 18, 2018
A Wakanda Forever Fair Isle knit sweater modeled by an Eminem lookalike just makes no sense whatsoever, and it's insulting. @Forever21 is canceled
— felicia the critic (@felicianista) December 18, 2018
Words fail me…
— Denise Clay (@denisethewriter) December 18, 2018
One Twitter user discovered that this isn’t the only example of a white person wearing Black Panther merchandise on Forever 21’s site. Instead, a white woman is also seen modeling a graphic tee from the movie.
So @Forever21 removed the “Wakanda Forever” tweet, meanwhile on https://t.co/ECJpDYMBv8 they got white people in the official Black Panther merch, and a black guy in the bootleg. I mean….YIKES. pic.twitter.com/hGd2WYca9u
— lissey (@lisa2bags) December 18, 2018
Forever 21 hasn’t yet responded to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment.
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