By: Ishita Goel
April 25 2024
No, Zara has not launched an Israel Defence Forces-themed clothing collection
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A screenshot of a social media post claiming to show an advertisement by Zara. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)
Fact-Check
The Verdict False
The image being shared as Zara’s new Israel Defence Forces collection is actually an artwork by a Polish artist, not a genuine ad by the brand.
Claim ID 06fbf8a1
What is the claim?
Amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, an image of a billboard, purportedly showcasing a Zara advertisement of an alleged spring/summer collection for 2024, has been going viral with the claim that the clothing company has launched an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) line.
Social media users shared the image, which seemingly shows an ad by the company on a bus stop featuring a male model dressed like an IDF soldier, criticizing Zara. The uniform seen on the man in the poster also resembles those donned by Nazi officers, drawing a comparison between them and IDF soldiers.
A Facebook user shared the image and wrote, "New ZARA Genocide Collection Now Available. Don't forget to Tag Yours." Another criticized Zara, calling them 'Zionists'. Archive versions of these posts can be seen here and here.
Screenshots of the viral posts on social media. (Source: Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)
What is the truth?
A reverse image search on the viral image took us to a post on an Instagram account (archived here) named Igor Dobrowolski, dated April 20, 2024. The caption read "Spring / Summer 2024 i$r@£l Defence Forces Collection. Most moral army in the world in appropriate uniform." The second image in this post is the viral image, which, according to Dobrowolski’s caption, is 'a visualization'.
The Instagram post also indicated that Dobrowolski was the artist behind the work and called for suggestions about the uniform design.
News media Intell Türk shared both images on X (archived here) and wrote in Turkish that the photos showed the work of Polish artist Igor Dobrowolski, who criticized Israel supporter Zara with his art depicting a "Spring / Summer 2024 Israel Defense Forces Collection” released by the clothing company. "He emphasized the similarities between Nazis and Zionists," the post added.
During our review of Dobrowolski’s account, we found he had previously created similar posters depicting other brands like McDonald's, Lancome, Chanel, Estee Lauder, and Zara as well, criticizing them for what he termed their support of the "Israel genocide". These posters, displayed on real bus stops, were similar to the viral image of the Zara ad that Dobrowolski notes is a visualization.
In one such post (archived here) showing such art, he wrote: "My Street art showing what real posters of corporations supporting I$r@€l g£n*ocide should look like." The post also carried his reasoning for his critique of these brands.
Dobrowolski has also posted a video (archived here) showing his posters being put up on real bus stops.
Logically Facts has contacted Dobrowolski for comment on the viral photo. This fact-check will be updated if and when we receive a response.
We found no news reports about any such Zara collection. Further, on checking the Zara website and their social media accounts, we also found no such announcements by them or any sign of such an IDF-themed collection. Therefore, the viral image being shared is clearly not a genuine Zara advertisement but is art. Logically Facts has reached out to Zara for a comment and this story will be updated if and when we receive a response.
Calls to boycott Zara
In April, Zara came in for criticism after Israeli supermodel Sun Mizrahi posed for its new lingerie looks (archive here), with social media users calling for a boycott of Zara, and calls of 'Free Palestine.'
Prior to this, in December 2023, Zara released an advertisement campaign showing models holding mannequins wrapped in white material, causing social media users to allege that the campaign resembled images of destruction and suffering in Gaza. The clothing brand eventually withdrew their campaign, saying in a statement that it regretted a “misunderstanding” about the images.
The verdict
Artwork criticizing Zara for their stand on the Israel-Gaza conflict by a Polish artist has been shared as a genuine Zara ad. The clothing brand has not launched a new collection resembling the uniforms of the Israel Defence Forces. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.
