Social media roared, and Katy Perry listened.
The 34-year-old singer and clothing designer has pulled two Perry-branded shoes from online stores, following complaints that their designs resembled blackface makeup.
According to USA Today, the two designs—the Rue Face slip-on loafer, and the Ora Face sandal—were yanked from the clothing line’s official website on Monday. Both items feature eyes, a nose, and a mouth set against an all-black background, and each retailed for $129.
Not long after the items disappeared from Perry’s site, they were removed from the online stores of multiple retailers, including Walmart and Dillards, according to TMZ. The site noted the singer’s company was in the process of pulling the shoes from the market entirely.
Katy Perry 'Blackface' Shoe to Be Pulled from Shelves
Ok, can we just make this a rule that ANY product, service or person that is NOT Black will NOT create, promote or apply any combination of BLACK + FACE
Can we just make this a thing#causeascenehttps://t.co/5fo3wMKgJp pic.twitter.com/LRFw2bW9BC
— Kim Crayton ~ She/Her ✊🏾💛 (@KimCrayton1) February 11, 2019
The shoes had been decried on social media, with singer Masika Kalysha, who has more than 2 million Instagram followers, reportedly posting a photo of the shoes on the site over the weekend, adding, “We just gonna let Katy Perry slide?”
The outcry comes during a period that’s seen the fashion industry scramble to deal with charges of racial insensitivity. Last week, Gucci issued a public apology for an $890 sweater that was attacked by critics for resembling blackface. And a Dolce & Gabbana ad promoting a Shanghai fashion show was pulled last fall, after critics attacked it for trafficking in cultural stereotypes.
Perry, whose hits include “Roar” and “Teenage Dream,” appeared at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards in Los Angeles as part of a tribute to Dolly Parton.
