Converse Removes Controversial Ad After Racial Sensitivity Claims

Converse pulls ad featuring K-pop star Karina after backlash over perceived racist imagery. Company apologizes and removes content.

Editorial Desk

September 21, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Boston, United States — Converse has removed a social media advertisement that sparked significant backlash due to perceived racial insensitivity. The ad, which featured K-pop singer Karina, drew criticism for an image that some interpreted as resembling a Ku Klux Klan hood.

The Instagram post showed Karina wearing a skirt and holding a pair of Chuck 70 X sneakers. Critics argued that the lighting on the skirt created a white triangular shape similar to a KKK hood, while the way she held the sneakers resembled the dangling feet of a lynching victim. Converse issued an apology, stating it had removed the ad from all platforms and was working to ensure it was no longer visible.

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Despite the apology, many critics questioned how such an ad could have passed internal review processes. Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt criticized the company’s response, saying it did not address the systemic failures that allowed the ad to be published in the first place. The incident adds to a growing list of fashion brands facing scrutiny over racially insensitive content.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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