H&M's 'Monkey' Ad Sets Twitter on Fire After The Weeknd Cuts Ties With Company

Fashion By TooFab Staff |
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The Weeknd was not the only one who "woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed" by H&M's controversial online ad, which showed a black child wearing a hoodie that read, "Coolest Monkey in the Jungle."

Outrage was flowing from celebrities, comedians and the general public -- many of whom were fans of the the international fashion retail giant -- over the insensitive photo.

Questlove, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" cast member Karamo Brown and German-Ghanaian soccer player Kevin-Prince Boateng were among those denouncing the brand for its racist advertisement. Others were displeased with H&M's apology, which read: "We sincerely apologize for offending people with this image of a printed hooded top. The image has been removed from all online channels and the product will not be for sale in the United States. We believe in diversity and inclusion in all that we do and will be reviewing all our internal policies accordingly to avoid any future issues."

The Weeknd -- who launched his own line with the company last year -- ended up cutting ties with H&M. Others followed suit, vowing to boycott the brand.

But this isn't the first time the Sweden-based chain has been under fire for racial and cultural insensitivity. In 2015, H&M faced backlash for its lack of black models in its South Africa division. In response to the criticism, the company released a statement via Twitter that suggested white models conveyed more positivity. Then in 2013, H&M was forced to pull feathered headdresses from its stores following complaints from Canadian customers, who said the product made fun of First Nation tribal customs.

See all the heat directed at H&M in the tweets below.

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