Here’s Where Louis Vuitton Went Wrong With Its “Jamaican-Flag-Inspired” Sweater
Louis Vuitton has sparked controversy for one of its latest menswear designs called “Jamaican Stripe Sweater”. Twitter user @pam_boy was the first to call out the item, which retails for $1,340 and features three stripes in green, yellow, and red, while the country’s flag, on the other hand, is green, yellow, and black. “I cannot stress enough how important it is to implement diversity as a value and not a symbol within fashion companies,” @pam_boy tweeted.
Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton’s creative director of menswear, is admittedly a fan of Jamaican culture — he’s even collaborated with Jamaican born skateboarder Lucien Clarke in the past. The issue with this particular sweater is not that it was inspired by a flag or a culture; it’s that the original product description allegedly said the sweater was modeled after the Jamaican flag, when in fact it was not. This shows a lack of effort and care by a major brand during a time when inclusivity in fashion should be championed, celebrated, and top of mind.
People on Twitter were quick to point out that the sweater looks as if it’s inspired by the Rastafarian flag, a religious movement with roots in Jamaica, as opposed to the official Jamaican flag. The colors of the Jamaican flag are meant to represent those who “stood for the difficulties faced by the nation (black), its natural wealth, and the beauty of its sunlight (yellow), and agriculture and hope (green),” according to Britannica.
Louis Vuitton has since updated the description of the sweater to remove the word “flag” and swapped it with “cultural heritage,” and we have reached out for a comment from the brand. Keep reading to see the original tweet that gave rise to the conversation, and check out the sweater for yourself ahead.
A Fail!: Louis Vuitton Designs A Sweater ‘Inspired’ By The Jamaican Flag, And The Colors Are Completely Wrong
Written by BET Staff
Another day, another opportunity for a fashion company to completely miss the mark. The most recent brand under public scrutiny? None other than Louis Vuitton (LV) with its “Jamaican Stripe Pullover.” The brand states that the below pullover sweater in green, yellow, and red is “inspired by the Caribbean island’s national flag.”
Understandably we are speechless, primarily since this so-called tribute does not feature the same colors as the Jamaican flag.
FYI: The Jamaican flag is black, gold, and green. Each color with its own symbolism: Black depicting the strength and creativity of the people; Gold representing the natural beauty of the sunlight and the wealth of the country; and Green signifying hope and agricultural resources. According to The Daily Beast, the outrageous fashion faux pas was first brought to the public eye when Twitter user @pam_boy spotted the $1,340 sweater that actually reflects the colors of the Ethiopian and Rastafarian flag (a religion originating in Jamaica).
Whether it was a case of good intentions gone wrong or something far more malicious, there is no question that this advertisement is cringe-worthy and displayed a blatant lack of research. As @pam_boy says: “I cannot stress enough how important it is to implement diversity as a value and not a symbol within fashion companies.” We could not have said it better ourselves. At the time of this story’s publication, the sweatshirt is out of stock. However, the link is still available on the site.
Louis Vuitton Says This Sweater Was Inspired by the Jamaican Flag. It’s the Wrong Color.
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