Daily Times

One of Pakistan’s leading clothing brands, Sana Safinaz, has recently come under fire for an alleged racist campaign following the launch of its 2018 Spring Summer collection.

The catalogue, which was shot in the Masai Mara national park of Kenya, features local tribespeople positioned with colourful Sana Safinaz lawn-clad models.

While, of course, we can’t speak for the intention behind the campaign, the effort certainly insinuates an inherently greater power potential and influence of the Pakistani models over the Masai models. And, that’s the entire problem.

Under the endemic institution of slavery, black bodies have always been treated as objects to either serve or entertain their colonisers. Reinforcing this stereotype through irresponsible ethics of professional imagery seems just plain pathetic.

The uncomfortable images have elicited a backlash on social media platforms, with users categorising the campaign as “offensive” and “racist.”

This is not the first time that the brand has come under the spotlight for flack. Previously, in 2012, their notorious ‘coolie’ shoot received categorical feedback of the same kind.

Sana Safinaz has presently taken to their Instagram handle to issue an apology for their lawn catalogue, saying that their intention was not to offend anyone other than to “showcase [their] product was in a different way, never to exploit or conjure up negative thoughts or ideas.”