Designer Tory Burch has apologized after her new advertising campaign, featuring white models dancing to the song “Juju on That Beat,” faced accusations of cultural appropriation.
The song, written by Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall, topped the charts last year, gaining popularity as the song’s fans uploaded their own versions of the viral “Juju on That Beat” dance.
Burch was the latest to pick up on the dance trend, but the brand is directed by a white woman and the ad featured only white models, including Poppy Delevingne. Critics were also quick to note that the advertisement shows a monkey-shaped handbag in the back seat of a car, interpreting it as a racist symbol.
The Huffington Post’s Taryn Finley said the ad “whitewashes” the song, denouncing it as a “painfully rhythmless video.”
“Black people already have a tough time breaking into the fashion industry,” Finley wrote. “The very least these companies could do is cast black models if they’re going to profit off of black culture.”
On Twitter, critics piled on. One user asked the brand, “Why did y’all culturally appropriate black song & dance?” Another user said, “F*ck Tory Burch. F*ck whoever on her team dismissed the idea of using black models.”
By deadline, Tory Burch did not respond to Heat Street’s request for comment.
Burch initially apologized. “I personally feel bad if this hurt anyone, and I’m truly sorry,” she posted on the brand’s website. That comment has since been removed, but the video is no longer featured, either.
— Jillian Kay Melchior writes for Heat Street and is a fellow for the Steamboat Institute and the Independent Women’s Forum.