Katy Perry’s ‘Blackface’ Shoes Pulled From Dillard’s Amid Backlash
Katy Perry may be in the midst of some major damage control.
Katy Perry Collections, the pop star’s fashion brand, is removing shoes from Dillard’s and other retailers after online criticism that they resembled blackface caricatures, TMZ reported Monday. The shoes feature glossy eyes, a diamond-shaped nose and bright-red lips.
Perry also has stopped selling the shoes on her fashion brand website.
In a search for the shoes — called “Rue Face Slip On Loafers” and “Ora Face Block Heel Sandal” — on the department store Dillard’s website Monday afternoon, an image of them popped up for a split second before a message appeared informing the customer that the “product is not currently available for purchase.”
Not long after this change, the items went completely missing from the site.
A representative for Perry told HuffPost in a statement that the shoes, which also came in beige, blue, gold and pink, came out last summer and were “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,” Perry said. “Our intention was never to inflict any pain.”
The shoes were immediately removed from Perry’s website once the criticism surfaced, she noted.
The “Swish Swish” singer was called out online over the weekend for selling the questionable footwear as blackface controversies ensnared Virginia’s governor and attorney general, spotlighting the issue.
@katyperry so this what we doing now?!?! Blackface shoes to go with @gucci blackface sweater?!?! pic.twitter.com/Yuiv1DewWH
— Wait for it.... (@BloopJustSayin) February 10, 2019
Sooooooo @katyperry is the next celeb to try black face huh? Why do y’all think this is okay? pic.twitter.com/BAVEQ5tsfD
— AJ🦋 (@Adina340) February 10, 2019
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 🏢 💻🎙#causeascene (@KimCrayton1) February 11, 2019
Ignorance is Never A fashion statement! Apology NOT accepted😡#blackface #Gucci #gucciblackface #prada #moncler #katyPerry pic.twitter.com/KDCnkzGlgA
— Kieren Boyce (@ThatGyrlKieren) February 10, 2019
@katyperry are you actually serious right now?! blackface on a SHOE?? what is WRONG with you pic.twitter.com/x3J6ZKPvxc
— Daniel 🌺🌆 (@daniellovesyooh) February 10, 2019
Gucci last week apologized and stopped selling a sweater that resembled blackface caricatures.
This article has been updated to include Perry’s statement.
Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.
Also on HuffPost
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.