Zara's 'holocaust' top and eight more fashion industry disasters

Fashion company Zara has promised to withdraw its child's t-shirt accused of looking like the holocaust-era uniform for Jews.

The blue and white striped top with six-point gold star badge was intended to be a sheriff's outfit, but instead is reminiscent of the green and white striped uniforms and yellow Star of David that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi concentration camps.

Inditex, the company that owns Zara and the world's biggest fashion retailer, said in a statement that the company "would like to reiterate its utmost respect for all cultures and religions," adding: "The Group condemns and rejects any form of discrimination."

But this isn't the first time the Spanish fashion retailer has faced criticism for its lack of discernment. Earlier this month Zara had to withdraw a t-shirt with the slogan "White is the new black" on it, following criticism that it could be read as racist.

In 2007, Zara also had to withdraw a bag, after a customer pointed out that it had a swastika embroidered on it.

But Zara isn't the only fashion company to commit such faux pas. In July, Topshop had to withdraw its 'yellow face' necklace, as it was said to be racist towards Chinese people.

Topman also came up against widespread critcicism for printing t-shirts with sexist jokes in 2011 – one comparing women to dogs, and the other appearing to offer excuses for domestic abuse.

In March, H&M had to withdraw a top with an image of a skull inside a Star of David. Elder of Ziyon shared pictures of the top on his blog, comparing it with the skull and hexogram symbol seen in occult imagery.

And last year's Halloween costumes caused significant controversy for lack of taste. Walmart took its 'turban beard' costume off the shelves, while Asda's and Tesco's 'mental patient' costumes as well as Amazon's zombie costume modelled on child sex-abuser Jimmy Saville also caused significant embarrassment before being withdrawn.

Each incident is a reminder that despite the number of people involved in producing an item from design to shop floor, fast fashion doesn't leave much time for discernment.