Converse Apologizes, Removes Ad After KKK Comparisons

Converse faced backlash over campaign images that social media users said evoked Ku Klux Klan hoods and lynching imagery. One Chuck 70 X photo featuring K-pop star Karina shows her in a white outfit holding sneakers beside a pointed, spotlighted shape, while critics said the shoes appeared to resemble dangling legs. Users also criticized a separate Converse x Palmes image depicting shoes hanging from a tree. Converse apologized, saying it understood why the images were deeply upsetting, acknowledged that it had gotten them wrong, and was removing them from its channels, although reports said some versions remained online. The coverage found no evidence that Converse intentionally created racist imagery, but critics questioned how the designs passed through the company’s advertising review process.