Target Pulls Children’s Clown Costume After Racial Backlash, Apologises
25 Aug 2026 11:05 AM IST25 Aug 2026 11:05 AM IST
Target declined to comment on who designed the product - which was sold under the retailer's seasonal Hyde and EEK Boutique brand - or the process by which it was green-lit for sale.
Target Corporation, Kids' Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume | Images Source: Instagram
Target an American retail corporation headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. which operates small-format and large-format retail stores and hypermarkets was in the dock for a Halloween costume that was put for sale where a boy depicting a circus clown that critics said evoked Blackface and minstrel shows. The product, sold as the "Kids' Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume," prompted a backlash on social media, with some consumers saying it resembled a racist caricature.
One of the US’s eighth-largest retailers, Target issued an apology on Monday and has removed the clown Halloween costume.
In a post on its social media page , the company wrote, “An apology from us: We removed an offensive Halloween costume that should never have been part of our assortment,” Target wrote in a statement shared on social media on Monday, Aug. 24. “It is no longer for sale. As a company, we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry.”
“We know this is especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners,” the statement from Target continued. “Removing the costume is an important first step, and we are looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change to ensure this won’t happen again.”
In photos of the now-deleted costume, a young Black boy modeled the outfit, which featured a black-and-orange printed bodysuit and hood with an exaggerated smile and mini top hat.
The model’s pose, in which he stands with one leg and arm raised in a waving gesture, particularly sparked criticism for its affiliation with Jim Crow-era negative depictions of Black people, as per reports.
It is the latest optics headache for the U.S. retailer as it tries to right its ship after a stretch of poor sales. The company also faced criticism over its handling of products in its 2023 Pride Collection, and for changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the wake of President Donald Trump's return to the White House.
Target declined to comment on who designed the product - which was sold under the retailer's seasonal Hyde and EEK Boutique brand - or the process by which it was green-lit for sale. In its statement, Target said it was "looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change."
( Source : Reuters )
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