Vogue Italia retreats from Slave Earrings ad, apologizes after being called racist

Style icon, Vogue, has sparked an international conversation about race, racism, slavery, and the fashion industry.

A pair of hoop earrings, listed as Slave Earrings on the Vogue Italia website, and an accompanying article, triggered an avalanche of criticism.

In addition to being called racist,  some say the ad and it's narrative, attempt to glamorize and profit from slavery.

Here's what the ad used to say:

"Jewellery has always flirted with circular shapes, especially for use in making earrings. The most classic models are the slave and creole styles in gold hoops.

If the name brings to the mind the decorative traditions of the women of colour who were brought to the southern United States during the slave trade, the latest interpretation is pure freedom.

Colored stones, symbolic pendants and multiple spheres. And the evolution goes on."

After getting an earful from their worldwide audience, Vogue Italia dropped the name Slave Earrings, replaced it with Ethnic Earrings, and rewrote their ad.

Here are some of the responses left on Vogue Italia's message board:

• "This is utterly racist and completely unacceptable. To use the term 'slave' to describe a piece of fashion jewellery demonstrates a total lack of sensitivity and respect for people of African descent, many of whom are descendants of Africans who were kidnaped, enslaved, tortured, raped and murdered during the period of European Chattel Enslavement - and the legacies of slavery - racism - both of the individual and institutionalized kind, still exist today. You should know better!

•  Disgraceful& Infuriating! Put our so-called civilized society to shame!""

• Hoop earrings have absolutely nothing to do with slavery. Earrings were an indicator of one's tribe or religion, not slavery. Please do your research prior to making inaccurate statements or stay away from historical references all together.