As is the case with other tragedies, art has played an important role in immortalizing the memory of the Beirut Port explosion, aside from providing immediate material aid to the affected population through artistic initiatives, auctions, etc…
However, one Lebanese brand’s artistic approach to paying homage to the victims of the blast did not resonate with people as much as it intended to.
Vanina, which sells handcrafted bags and accessories, created a bag from shattered glass that filled most of Beirut’s streets and neighborhoods in the aftermath of the August 4th disaster.
“The Silo Bag” is part of Vanina’s “The Light of Beirut” collection. As its description reads, the bag is “shaped like the iconic Silos of the port of Beirut that it reminisces,” and it pays tribute to the Lebanese capital.
The bag’s reception, however, tells a completely different story.
Deeming it inappropriate and “disgraceful,” social media users lashed out at Vanina, demanding that the product, which had been selling at $550, be removed for being insensitive to the people who were affected by the explosion.
It’s noteworthy that Vanina had pledged 25 percent of each Silo Bag sale for the Beirut Heritage Initiative, which has been helping restore the heritage sites that were damaged during the blast.
This did not hold back fierce online criticism, though, which ultimately prompted the designer to retract the collection.
“WE HEARD YOU,” Vanina wrote at the beginning of a statement posted on its social media accounts following the backlash, announcing the withdrawal of “The Light of Beirut” and, with it, the controversial bag.
The statement explained that the aim of the collection was to “send a message of hope.” It also acknowledged that the move had hurt some people and consequently conveyed an apology to them.
