H&M lost The Weeknd over a 'coolest monkey in the jungle' hoodie

On 8 January 2018 a product photo appeared on H&M's website showing a young Black boy modelling a hoodie printed with the words 'coolest monkey in the jungle'. The image was condemned as racist within hours, and the backlash reached the brand's biggest music partner the same week.

The Weeknd, who had launched two joint collections with H&M in 2017, said he was 'deeply offended' and 'shocked and embarrassed' by the image and announced he was cutting all ties with the retailer immediately. H&M apologised the same day: 'We're deeply sorry that the picture was taken and we also regret the actual print. So we've not only removed the image from our channels, but also the garment from our offering. It is obvious that our routines have not been sufficient enough to prevent this mistake and we take responsibility for this being in our full control.'

The apology did not save the partnership: the retailer lost the The Weeknd X H&M collection, and the episode became a reference case for how a single unchecked product decision can unwind a celebrity partnership overnight.