White Model Used To Promote Afro Hair Bun Causes An Outburst On Social Media

This is freakin’ wild y’all!

According to REVOLT, fan-favorite clothing and accessories brand SHEIN has been facing a lot of criticism over how it marketed an afro-textured bun. People started calling out the brand on Friday (September 16) when Jessie Woo tweeted screenshots of a white woman modeling a burgundy and black afro bun (pictured below).

Jessie then sarcastically wrote,” It’s in their ‘period aah period ugh’ section.”

SHEIN is selling Afro buns now.
It’s in their “period aah period ugh” section. pic.twitter.com/Qeu4BEZmzV

— MBali 💫 (@TheJessieWoo) September 17, 2022

SHEIN had listed the drawstring hair accessory as a short curly bun that goes for $5. By Sunday (September 17) afternoon, the site had been scrubbed of images using the white model to show off the bun.

But, it was a little too late since several screenshots and comments were already rampant online.

Other Afro-textured wigs on the sites are modeled either by a Black model or a mannequin head. It isn’t clear if the other hairpieces were previously modeled by the white models whose images have been removed.

Here are some of the reactions:

I BLAME MAYBAE??

– BRITTNEY (@TRADONNAMADONNA) SEPTEMBER 17, 2022

and

WHAT MAKES ME ANGRY IS THAT SCHOOLS THAT DON’T ALLOW BLACK GIRLS TO HAVE AFROS OR CERTAIN HAIR STYLES AREN’T GONNA SAY NOTHING WHEN IT’S WHITE GIRLS COPYING BLACK GIRLS REAL HAIR TEXTURE. IT SICKENS ME.

– ANGELÍCA GEE (@LANATURAL__) SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

and

Y’ALL KEEP SUPPORTING SHEIN, FASHIONNOVA, PRETTY LITTLE THING ETC, WHEN IT IS KNOWN THEY STEAL FROM BLACK ARTISTS. THEN WHEN I DON’T SHOP THERE, I’M LOOKED AT AS CRAZY, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF WITHHOLDING MY DOLLAR FROM COMPANIES THAT DISRESPECT US.Y’ALL WILL SHOP THERE 2MORO

– DIASPORAFRI.COM (@DIASPORAFRI_LLC) SEPTEMBER 17, 2022

and

SEE YOU GOT SWEDEN IN THE FRONT AND AFRICA IN THE BACK. THEM TWO PLACE DON’T MEET

– 777RANDALL_ (@LORDRVNDY) SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

and

WILD TIMES. I THINK IT’S TIME WE START MOVING MILITANT ABOUT OUR SHIT CAUSE AIN’T NO WAY.

– SLATTY (@YESSIRSKISLATT) SEPTEMBER 17, 2022

One individual questioned if the problematic marketing was a retaliation to Disney releasing its first trailer of the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey. Since the trailer went public, critics have voiced their disapproval and blasted it with racist remarks.

Halle’s casting as Ariel makes the second time multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate has selected an African-American actress to play the role of a princess. The first was in 2009 – during the debut of The Princess and the Frog. Renowned actress Anika Noni Rose played the lead. 

When asked about her opinion, Halle said she didn’t pay much attention to the naysayers who choose to focus on negativity. Instead, she is choosing to focus on the positive impact the film will have on Black kids.

“I want the little girl in me and the little girls just like me who are watching to know that they’re special and that they should be a princess in every single way. There’s no reason that they shouldn’t be. That reassurance was something that I needed,” Halle Bailey told Variety in August.