'It was insensitive': Burberry pulls hoodie that featured 'noose' around the neck

The item formed part of the British brand's autumn / winter collection, which was unveiled earlier this week

This hoodie featured at Burberry's autumn / winter 2019 show in London has since been removed from the label's collection. AP

Burberry has removed a controversial sweatshirt from its autumn / winter collection, just days after it was revealed on the London Fashion Week catwalk.

The British brand has also apologised for the offending item, after a model complained on social media that the garment's tie detail resembled a noose.

Marco Gobbetti, the chief executive of the heritage label, said in a statement on Tuesday that Burberry was “deeply sorry for the distress” caused by the hoodie, and confirmed it had been removed from the season's line. Gobbetti added that brand images featuring the design would also be taken down.

Riccardo Tisci, Burberry’s creative director, also expressed regret about the item, which was included in his second collection for the brand, presented in London on February 17.

“I am so deeply sorry for the distress that has been caused as a result of one of the pieces in my show on Sunday," said the designer, who joined Burberry last year from Givenchy.

"While the design was inspired by a nautical theme, I realise that it was insensitive. It was never my intention to upset anyone. I will make sure this does not happen again.”

Outrage bubbled over the knotted design after model Liz Kennedy questioned its design in an Instagram post directed at the brand and Tisci.

"How could anyone overlook this and think it would be OK to do this especially in a line dedicated to young girls and youth. The impressionable youth," she wrote. "I left my fitting extremely triggered after seeing this look (even though I did not wear it myself). I had asked to speak to someone about it but the only thing I was told to do was to write a letter."

Kennedy added she was "ashamed to have been a part of the show".

"The issue is not about me being upset, there is a bigger picture here of what fashion turns a blind eye to or does to gain publicity," she posted. "A look so ignorantly put together and a situation so poorly handled."

Burberry isn't the first fashion label to issue an apology for poorly judged designs in recent weeks; Gucci apologised for selling a jumper with a design likened to "blackface" earlier this month, while shoes from Katy Perry's namesake collection were removed from stores amid claims of racism last week.

Prada withdrew keychains and storefront figurines that evoked comparisons to blackface from stores in December, while Dolce & Gabbana also issued an apology last November, after releasing a video showing a Chinese model using chopsticks to try to eat Italian food. The brand subsequently postponed a catwalk show in Shanghai, while Chinese e-commerce sites removed Dolce & Gabbana products from their listings.