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.
@hm Be so disrespectful it’s almost gangster. Y’all know y’all wouldn’t put no white child hair undone so why do it with her. 🤦🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/Fdl8Vi54hD
— A1 (@A1FrmDay1_) September 21, 2019
The Black child’s hair in the H&M photo needed proper care. The problem is not the fact that the child has 4c hair.
— 𝕾𝖔𝖓𝖞𝖆 𝕬𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖑𝖘 🦇 (@JAMAICANSONYA) September 20, 2019
The problem is that these white/non black hairstyles DELIBERATELY arent wanting to deal with the complexities of how to treat type 4 hair
Whoever was in charge of this needs to be fired... there is no reason for this at all @hm y’all really couldn’t comb this child’s hair better?????? pic.twitter.com/UQzj0NXn8C
— mykalise parks (@mykalise) September 23, 2019
H&M wildiiiiiiiiiiing cuz. Comb that girl hair https://t.co/61atEP8QLP
— Daryn Casanova (@DarynCasanova) September 20, 2019
But there were several who said the criticism was unnecessary, especially since the other models in the ad had disheveled hair.
There is a little Black girl whose face is floating around the internet who should be celebrating landing a modeling opportunity for H&M right now. Instead she’ll have to see commentary over how her hair should’ve looked better.
— #BreonnaTaylor (@HustleAndFro_) September 20, 2019
I hate how the little black girl in the H&M ad was singled out for her hair when all the kids’ hair looks disheveled. In all honesty her hair looks the most put together out of all of them! Just say you hate natural (4c) hair and go! pic.twitter.com/9NTdUQEe7F
— Madam J. C. Walker (@kneeneebop) September 20, 2019
I hope the beautiful black girl in the H&M ad has parents that can properly explain why people are outraged by what naturally grows out of her head, and that it has nothing to do with her, her body, her beauty, or her hair. It has to do with things too ugly for her to fathom.
— Myles E. Johnson (@rapturemyles) September 20, 2019
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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