Katy Perry brand shoe pulled from shelves for resembling 'blackface'

Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Retailers have pulled shoes from singer Katy Perry's namesake brand after they came under fire for resembling blackface.

The pair of shoes by the singer's fashion brand Katy Perry Collections has come under criticism for evoking black racist stereotypes and has since been pulled from its online shelves, TMZ reported.

The "Rue Face Slip On Loafers" and the "Ora Face Block Heel Sandal" depict facial features on either a black or beige shoe.


The black version of this design has been attacked on social media for harkening to the racist tradition of blackface, which is a theatrical tradition of actors wearing black makeup in order to create stereotypically racist depictions of black people.

Since being criticized on social media, the shoe has also been pulled from Dillard's and Walmart.

The criticism against Perry comes less than a week after Gucci yanked a black turtleneck sweater from its shelves after being attacked for resembling blackface.

Gucci apologized for the garment, saying "we consider diversity to be a fundamental value to be fully upheld, respected, and at the forefront of every decision we make."