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A fast-fashion retailer is in hot water over a hate symbol.

Zara, a Spanish clothing chain, pulled a skirt from its website after people pointed out that an applique cartoon character on it bore a striking resemblance to "Pepe the Frog," a fictional frog that has been adopted by "alt-right" groups.

Meagan Fredette, a freelance writer from Chicago, was the first person to point it out. She said she was browsing Zara's site Monday evening when she noticed the skirt. She tweeted about it and then went to sleep, assuming nothing would come of it.

By Wednesday, the skirt was no longer available on Zara's website. The retailer confirmed to several news outlets that the item had been pulled from real and virtual shelves. (Zara did not respond to emailed requests for comment from The Times.)

Pepe rose to prominence last year, his visage appearing in memes about Adolf Hitler and the Ku Klux Klan. People who identified as members of white nationalist and other far-right groups added the green frog emoji to their Twitter handle or display name.

Last summer, Donald Trump Jr. posted a photo on Instagram labeled "The Deplorables" referencing the movie The Expendables and a comment that Hillary Clinton made about supporters of his father, Donald Trump which showed Pepe alongside Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Rudy Giuliani and other people involved with Trumps presidential campaign.

In September, the Anti-Defamation League said it was formally declaring Pepe the Frog a hate symbol.

Matt Furie, an artist based in L.A.'s Koreatown neighborhood, created Pepe the Frog back in 2005. He said in an interview last October that having his creation associated with anti-Semitism and white nationalism was his "worst nightmare."

On Wednesday, Furie said via email that Zara had not sought his permission to use Pepe the Frogs likeness.

The skirt in question was designed by a Spanish artist, Mario de Santiago, as part of Zara's "Oil-On-Denim" collection, which launched this month in stores and online. In a statement, the company said de Santiago created the design based on a painting he made with friends several years ago and that it had no link to the suggested theme.

De Santiago replied to Fredette's tweets, saying his design was "never intended to promulgate hate" and that he was sorry. "I feel shame for this," he wrote. (He later deleted those tweets, but Fredette provided the Times with screenshots of them.)

This is not the first time that Zara has had to pull a questionable product. In 2014, the brand publicly apologized for selling a shirt that looked like something concentration camp prisoners wore. In 2007, it stopped selling a purse that had swastika symbols embroidered on it.

Fredette, who has written about fashion for outlets like Paper Magazine and Refinery29, said she wasnt surprised that this happened to Zara again. In order for fast-fashion retailers like Zara to keep prices low, she said, they have to cut corners on quality control. She said the blame lies with Zara, not the designer, for not recognizing the implications of the frog.

"Someone should have seen this before it was produced and put up for sale," she said.

Follow me on Twitter @jessica_roy.

jessica.roy@latimes.com

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Zara pulls denim skirt after 'Pepe the Frog' accusations - Los Angeles Times

Every couple of months, like clockwork, a mass retailer does something so blatantly clumsy that you almost have to wonder whether it was actually intentional. The latest gaffe comes courtesy of Zara in the form a denim skirt that's being criticized for featuring an embroidery that closely resembles Pepe the Frog, a meme that's been appropriated by hate groups.

The skirt in question features two frogs: one in the same green shade as Pepe, and one a mirror image in a darker green hue. Both share Pepe's characteristic thin red lips and bulging eyes, which are obscured by sunglasses.

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Pepe, a character that began as an innocuous creation by illustrator Matt Furie, was co-opted by a number of hate groups and ultimately declared a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League last year. Chicago fashion and music writer Meagan Fredette was the first to draw considerable attention to the inclusion of Pepe, or his very close relative, on the offending skirt, tweeting, "Zara is really out there trying to sell a P*pe the frog skirt, apparently unaware (?) of its current implications."

It would be surprising if no one at Zara was cognizant of the implications of the image, since Pepe gained significant notoriety during the 2016 presidential election, as his image was heavily used by alt-right groups, anti-Semitic factions, white supremacists, and other hate organizations who created Pepe-as-Trump memes. The usage culminated in an explainer by Hillary Clinton's campaign and the ADL hate symbol designation.

The fact that the skirt even exists raises the same question we've been asking for years: Whos approving this stuff? True, Zara is a Spanish company, so the argument could be made that nuance might get lost in translation, but Zara's also one of the world's most visible, profitable global brandsit's valued at $10.7 billion, according to Forbes so one might assume they'd take measures to employ the world's sharpest minds, as far as due diligence is concerned.

The company got a ton of rightful flak in 2014 for a kids shirt thatwith its stripes and yellow star detaillooked remarkably similar to a concentration camp uniform, and has been accused of allegedly ripping off designers and featuring deceptive "body positive" advertising.

In the wake of the backlash, Zara seems to have removed the Pepe skirt from its website. Glamour has reached out to the retailer for comment and has not yet received a response.

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WTH Is Zara Selling a Skirt Featuring a Pepe the Frog Look-alike? - Allure Magazine

Oh, Zara.Here we go again.

The retailer, a repeat offender when it comes to offensive productsand advertising, is under fire yet again for carrying a skirt embroidered with a character resembling Pepe the Frog.

The cartoon amphibian has become a symbol of hate after being coopted by anti-Semites and white supremacists.

Pepe was originallyan innocent stoner charactercreated by artist Matt Furie in 2005, but was turned into amascot for the alt-righton websites like 4chan and Reddit and is listed as a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League.

Matt Furie

Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images

Though the ADL notes that because so many Pepe the Frog memes are not bigoted in nature, it is important to examine use of the meme only in context, its shocking Zara didnt see the skirt as problematic. The item marks yet another blunder for the hugely successful yet troubled clothing chain, reminding us of the time in 2014 it sold pajamas that looked exactly like concentration camp uniforms.

Zara pulled the skirt from its website,but not before Twitter got a look.

Some people, though, are still grappling with the fact that a cartoon frog ever became so controversial in the first place.

The skirt appeared to be styled with the Zaras Nope denim jacket, which is a pretty perfect way to sum up our feelings about the whole thing.

Zara

In an email to The Huffington Post, a Zara spokeswoman stated that the image was not intended to look like Pepe.

The skirt is part of the limited Oil-On-Denim collection which was created through collaborations with artists and is only available in selected markets, she said. The designer of the skirt is Mario de Santiago, known online as Yimeisgreat. Mario explores social interactions through his work and in his own words, The idea came from a wall painting I drew with friends some years ago. There is absolutely no link to the suggested theme.

Originally posted here:
Zara's 'Pepe The Frog' Skirt Is Just Wrong, Wrong, Wrong ...

Primary logo of Hillary for America Primary logo of Hillary for America

That cartoon frog is more sinister than you might realize.

September 12, 2016 by Elizabeth Chan

Over the weekend, Donald Trumps son and one of his closest advisers posted an odd photo on their social media accounts:

This raised some important questions.

Thats Pepe. Hes a symbol associated with white supremacy.

Thats right.

Heres the short version: Pepe is a cartoon frog who began his internet life as an innocent meme enjoyed by teenagers and pop stars alike.

But in recent months, Pepes been almost entirely co-opted by the white supremacists who call themselves the alt-right. Theyve decided to take back Pepe by adding swastikas and other symbols of anti-semitism and white supremacy.

We basically mixed Pepe in with Nazi propaganda, etc. We built that association, one prominent white supremacist told the Daily Beast.

Trump has retweeted his white supremacist supporters with regularity, but the connection between the alt-right and his campaign continues to strengthen. Trump has been slow to disavow support from Ku Klux Klansmen and white supremacy groups, and he recently hired Breitbart.coms Steve Bannon as his campaign CEO (and Bannon isnt shy about the fact that his news organization is the platform for the alt-right).

Now white supremacists have given Pepe the cartoon frog some Trump hairand the candidates own son says he is honored to be grouped with him.

Yes.

Nope.

Notably, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who believes the government was behind the 9/11 (and that Newtown was completely fake), and Breitbarts Milo Yiannopoulos, whose racism and bigotry is so egregious that Twitter banned him from using their site.

Yes.

Vote.

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Donald Trump, Pepe the frog, and white supremacists: an ...

Theres a veritable meme meltdown going on at the infamous imageboard 4chan, and it involves an odd-looking anthropomorphic frog named Pepe.

The chaotic site has been ground zero for countless Internet in-jokes, from Rage Comics to LOLcats and even Dickbutt. This time, however, members have returned to an old chestnut theyd long ago abandoned, acting out something like a mid-life crisis.

First appearing in Boys Club, a comic series by Matt Furie, Pepe the frog became an overnight sensation in early 2006. An image of Pepe saying feels good man epitomized various posts on board /r9k/, dedicated to low-key hangouts and original content.

Matt Furie/Boys Club

One great thing about 4chan is that it never turns off. Its members took this wide-eyed frog andremixedhim ad infinitum.

4chan took this wide-eyed frog andremixedhim ad infinitum.

Pepe evolved, with various iterations used to indicate anger, melancholy, or surprise. He accumulated a vast set of looks and has been altered to resemble characters from TV shows or reference other bits of pop culture.

With Pepes eventual mass prominence, though, he lost his underground cred. Hes been used by major pop stars, from Nicki Minaj to Katy Perry. Theres a Reddit board dedicated to Pepe as well. This didnt sit well with 4channers, who typically dispense with concepts once theyre embraced by the mainstream. Pepe was no exception.

That got us wondering: What does Pepes creator make of his runaway success? To find out, we caught up with Furie and asked him to shed some light on the phenomenon.

What was your inspiration?

My Pepe philosophy is simple: Feels good man. It is based on the meaning of the word Pepe: To go Pepe. I find complete joy in physically, emotionally, and spiritually serving Pepe and his friends through comics. Each comic is sacred, and the compassion of my readers transcends any differences, the pain, and fear of feeling good.

Was the comic commissioned?

Seeing a frog always takes my breath away and brings a genuine smile to my face. That is what I want every reader to experience each time they think about the Boys Club comica thrill of overwhelming beauty and joy!

Thoughts on Pepe becoming the mascot for 4chan?

Pepe offers you complete support, attention, and embraces how capable you are of birthing your own Pepe. As your God, my hope is to enhance your Pepe birthing experience by empowering you through it. Obey Pepe. Obey Me. Bow down to your leader. Worship me. Give me genital love or non-genital love. Both are wonderful.

But 4chan went crazy for Pepe, yes?

I believe that the most important thing I can do as an artist is to protect the voices of anonymous people on the Internet and help ensure that that those voices are honored. It is my job to help 4chan have the experience that they want without judgment or criticism. In the end, I want 4chan to feel they were supported by being heard, respected, and part of the decision-making process. Instead of promoting my own agenda, it is my goal to promote 4chan. Different things work for different people. Let me support you in the way you choose to draw Pepe.

What about people profiting off of Pepe?

I believe in supporting peoples decisions to profit off of Pepe in order to provide them with the most positive business experience possible. I strive to be an advocate for Pepe in both love and enterprise and hope to help business people to have an empowering and joyful experience while making an ocean of profits as limitless as the universe.

Pepe is now immortal on the internet.

Having Pepe is one of the most life-changing experiences I will ever have. While many may fear the frog, there is no need for anxiety, especially when you feel confident and supported by the 4chan communitythis is something my body was created to do, and I did it!

So, seven years after he first won their hearts, how have 4channers tried to resurrect and reclaim Pepe? By acknowledging him as a precious, antique memeand growing a fictional economy around his widespread allure.

The Pepe speculation boom started when a user started complaining about rare Pepes on /r9k/. The absurdity of modified frog images shared online falling under a rarity index was hilarious. And, as usual, 4chan just rolled with it.

The result: images of Pepe with watermarks reading RARE PEPE DO NOT SAVEbecause doing so would diminish their value.

4chan

4chan has since taken the odd cartoon frog to heights none thought imaginable. At this moment, you can findmassive collections of vintage Pepe imagesfor auction oneBay. And some have actually drawn bids.

eBay

Of course, some anti-capitalist vigilante posted a public file containing over one thousand Pepes, effectively crashing the Pepe economy. Its all part of a larger, self-negating game in which popularity and prestige are manipulated for sporta satire of virality, you could say.

How long will Pepes Renaissance last, and will his latest disgusting incarnationscollected under the banner poo poo pee peefinally turn his casual fans away from the meme? Perhaps. More likely, though, 4chans meta spin on what ranks among their most popular exports will just attract more disciples. In the end, Pepe is bigger than any of us.

Update Sept. 13, 2016, 10:18am: In a surprising turn of events, Pepe has been co-opted by the alt-right. Pepes appeared in Donald Trump propaganda, and a heckler was booted out of Hillary Clinton rally for yelling about Pepe. In fact, a post on Clintons official site proclaimed Pepea symbol associated with white supremacy.

However, creator Matt Furie believes that Pepes alt-right affiliation will soon pass. He told the Daily Dot:

Its just a phase, its not the first time Pepe has been reclaimed for evil, andno one will care about it come November. I predict that his sly, lovable, and charming status will be intact as early as next week.

Photo via Matt Furie/Know Your Meme | Remix by Jason Reed

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The story behind 4chan's Pepe the Frog meme - dailydot.com