H&M has recently responded to backlash regarding an ad featuring a black girl with a hairstyle some deemed unkempt.
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"We are aware of the comments regarding one of our models for H&M Kids. We truly believe that all kids should be allowed to be kids," the fashion brand said in an exclusive statement to Essence. "The school aged kids who model for us come to the photo studio in the afternoon after school, and we aim for a natural look which reflects that."
H&M’s head of inclusion and diversity, Ezinne Kwubiri, also responded to the disapproval on her Instagram page.
“It’s important to keep this in mind when having these ‘internet’ conversations as words are very powerful. They can uplift, and they can hurt. She should be afforded the same carefree joy and vulnerability as the other kid models,” Kwubiri wrote in the caption.
Conversations about the young model's hair surfaced last week when celebrity hairstylist Vernon François posted images from the ad to his Instagram page.
In the photos, the model’s kinky tresses are pulled back into a ponytail, and her edges appear to be uncombed.
“This beautiful young girl’s #kinky hair appears to have had very little to no attention yet all of her counterparts have clearly sat in front of someone who was more than capable of styling other hair textures,” he said.
He wasn’t the only person to express his opinions about her hairstyle. Many took to social media to express their displeasure.
But there were several who said the criticism was unnecessary, especially since the other models in the ad had disheveled hair.
This isn’t first time H&M has come under fire for its representation of black children.
In January 2018, the company caused a social media storm for posing a black child model in a hoodie that read "coolest monkey in the jungle."
“Monkey” has long been considered a racial slur directed to people of African descent.
The image was removed from the website and H&M issued an apology.
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