Converse has been forced into an apology after a global advertising campaign was accused of evoking one of America's most notorious symbols of racial terror. Social media users pointed out that the lighting in an image of K-pop star Karina created what looked like a Klan hood, while a separate post showed shoes hanging from a tree branch in a way many described as lynching imagery.
The backlash has been fierce enough to draw in a sitting US congressman, who is now demanding to know exactly how the campaign made it past Nike and Converse's creative teams. The brand has apologised and pulled the images, but critics argue that is nowhere near enough.
What Did the Images Show?
The first image starred Karina of aespa, standing beneath a star-shaped spotlight while promoting the Chuck 70 X and Run Star Crush sneakers. She wore a long white skirt and held a pair of dangling trainers at her side.
Critics said the lighting on the skirt formed a hooded, triangular silhouette, and that the trainers appeared to hang like a lynching victim's feet.
@converse.vn Introducing Chuck 70X, the icon reimagined. With @katarinabluu #ConverseVietnam #Chuck70
♬ âm thanh gốc - Converse Vietnam - Converse Vietnam
A second image, posted on Converse Malaysia's Instagram account to promote the Jack Purcell PDM collection, showed a man scaling a ladder towards shoes hanging from a tree branch while another figure looked on.
What Did Converse Say in Its Apology?
In a statement to Footwear News, Converse offered no defence of the campaign.
It read in full: 'We're sorry. We understand why this image is deeply upsetting and recognise that we got this wrong. We removed it from our channels and are working to remove it everywhere it appeared. This should not have happened, and we will do better.'
Converse has issued an apology over a recent Chuck 70 X line campaign starring Karina (of aespa) featuring visuals viewers allege parallel KKK hoods and lynching. pic.twitter.com/uEGgrtKQpR
— The Lowdown On Fashion & Beauty (@tldonbeauty) September 19, 2026
The statement did not mention an internal review, an independent audit, or any specific changes to how future campaigns will be approved.
What Is Congressman Troy Carter Demanding?
Louisiana Rep. Troy Carter has been the most vocal critic. 'Who created this campaign? Who approved it? How many executives saw it? Were there any Black people in the room? If so, did anyone listen to them?' he asked in a public statement.
He added that Nike and Converse 'do not get to quietly pull the images, issue a polished apology and move on'.
@Nike and @Converse, what the hell were you thinking?
— Congressman Troy A. Carter (@RepTroyCarter) September 18, 2026
Your campaign shows what looks like a hooded Klansman, framed by what appears to be the dangling feet of a lynching victim. There is nothing creative or artistic about it. It is racist, reckless and deeply offensive. https://t.co/AmW1plRl99
Carter is calling for a full independent investigation into how the imagery was conceived and cleared, along with concrete safeguards to prevent anything similar happening again.
Is Anyone Pushing Back on the Backlash?
Not everyone online agrees that Converse did anything wrong, and a vocal contingent has accused critics of hunting for offence rather than reacting to it.
One X user questioned whether people were combing through the campaign frame by frame just to find something to be upset about, suggesting the outrage said more about the critics than the advert itself.
Do people literally go frame by frame on this stuff to find areas where they can be offended. Quite possible they are just sick in the head.
— tinorocco (@tinorocco5900) September 20, 2026
Others focused on the mechanics of the image itself, arguing that Karina was simply holding the shoes in her hand, that they bore no real resemblance to legs, and that reading racism into the picture ignored the fact that the model is Asian rather than white.
She’s literally holding the shoes with her hands and it’s in the photo that she’s holding. The shoes are not fucking legs. There’s nothing racist about it and she’s not even white. She’s Asian. This is the problem when you’re so obsessed with racism that you see it everywhere you
— verite (@verite1984) September 20, 2026
A separate wave of commenters said they had watched the advert and seen nothing controversial, with some suggesting the entire row was a sign that people needed to spend less time online.
