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Katy Perry removes ‘racist’ shoes from sale
By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 13 February 2019
Katy Perry has removed a pair of shoes from her fashion line, after their design was dubbed racist. The musician says that she is “saddened” by their comparison to images of ‘blackface’.
Two pairs of shoes have actually been removed from the collection: the offending pair featuring a face with blue eyes and large red lips on black leather, and the same design on beige. Both were actually first made available for sale last summer, but began to draw heavy criticism on social media earlier this week.
In a statement to Entertainment Tonight, Perry says: “The Rue and The Ora were part of a collection that was released last summer in nine different colourways – black, blue, gold, graphite, lead, nude, pink, red, silver – and envisioned as a nod to modern art and surrealism. I was saddened when it was brought to my attention that it was being compared to painful images reminiscent of blackface. Our intention was never to inflict any pain. We have immediately removed them from [sale]”.
The Katy Perry Collection launched in 2017 in partnership with the Global Brands Group. The footwear range with “a distinct personality” is “inspired by Katy’s travels, humour and extraordinary imagination, the footwear reflect her whimsical approach towards life”, says its website, and all shoes are “designed 100% by Katy Perry”.
