The Weeknd has ended his partnership with H&M over an advertisement labeled by many as racially insensitive.The retailer sparked backlash after depicting a black child model in a sweatshirt that read “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle,” prompting the hip-hop artist to release a statement of his own condemning H&M’s choice.
“woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo,” The Weeknd tweeted. “i’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore…”
In a statement obtained by E! News, H&M Media Relations apologized for the advertisement as well as the product: “We understand that many people are upset about the image. We, who work at H&M, can only agree. We are deeply sorry that the picture was taken, and we also regret the actual print. Therefore, we have not only removed the image from our channels, but also the garment from our product offering globally.”
woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo. i’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hmanymore…
“It is obvious that our routines have not been followed properly,” H&M concluded. “This is without any doubt. We will thoroughly investigate why this happened to prevent this type of mistake from happening again.”As of now, the sweater is still available online but the photo of the model has been removed.
The Weeknd worked with H&M on two different collaborations, and his latest clothing collection was released last September. It’s currently unclear if and when the recording artist’s products will be removed from H&M stores.
Other celebrities that have commented on H&M’s advertisement include Questlove and Sean “Diddy” Combs.”I’m sure the apologies are a coming,” Questlove, who performs with The Roots, wrote on Instagram. “And the ads will be pulled. I’m certain there will Be media fixers and whatnot and maybe a grand gesture like a donation to some charity (donations under these circumstances are the corporate version #SomeOfMyBestFriendsAre move if there ever was one) all this tells me about @HM is that the seats in the boardroom lack something…wanna take a guess?”
Diddy shared a reimagined version of the sweater that read “Coolest King in the World,” adding, “Put some respect on it!! When you look at us make sure you see royalty and super natural God sent glory!! Anything else is disrespectful.”
Los Angeles Production Designer and Art Department Professional Discusses the Creative Vision Behind Building Worlds for Film and Entertainment
Mexican-born Production Designer and Art Department professional Angelica Figueroa is stepping into the international media spotlight with a featured appearance on The Andrew Eborn Show on Octopus TV.
The interview, “The Invisible Architect of Hollywood: How Mexican Visionary Angelica Figueroa Builds Worlds in Films,” explores the creative work audiences rarely see happening behind the camera — and the extraordinary amount of research, imagination and craftsmanship required to create the visual environments in which stories come alive.
Figueroa, originally from Morelos, Mexico, earned a BFA in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy and has established herself in Los Angeles working across Production Design, Art Direction, Set Dressing and Prop Master roles.
Her growing body of work demonstrates the versatility required of a modern Art Department professional, spanning narrative filmmaking, music and performance videos, promotional productions and independent projects.
Rather than simply decorating a set, Figueroa approaches production design as an extension of character and story. Research, sourcing, props, color, texture, architecture and period-specific details can all become part of the visual language of a production.
That philosophy has helped define her emerging career.
As a Production Designer, Figueroa worked on What a Valentine, starring acclaimed actor Jim Beaver, and Tamales, starring Virginia Novello.
Her credits also extend into major music and entertainment productions. Figueroa has worked as a Set Dresser on a Willow Smith performance video, a promotional production for Wild ’N Out, and the “Tell Me” project by OneRepublic and Karan Aujla.
Her work as Art Director on the period short film Sunrise Boulevard, set in 1955, required the creation of a visual environment capable of transporting audiences into another era. Figueroa contributed through art direction, set dressing, props and sourcing, helping establish the film’s period-specific world.
Sunrise Boulevard was subsequently selected for the Burbank International Film Festival and received a nomination in the Best Production Design / Art Direction category.
Additional Art Department credits include Canta Santiago, Oroboros, Ikigai and Rebel Flower(s). On Oroboros, Figueroa served as Prop Master, working with story-specific and actor props as well as sourced, practical and breakable set pieces.
Her appearance on The Andrew Eborn Show gives audiences an opportunity to discover the person behind that work and gain insight into a profession that plays an essential role in filmmaking while often remaining invisible to the audience.
Andrew Eborn brings an extensive international media background to the conversation. An international lawyer, strategic business adviser, broadcaster and media personality, Eborn is known for conversations spanning entertainment, television, film, business, technology and culture.
For Figueroa, the interview represents another opportunity to bring attention not simply to individual credits, but to the specialized creative discipline behind them.
Production designers and Art Department professionals help determine what audiences ultimately see on screen. Before an actor enters a room, someone has considered what that room communicates about the character. Before a period story can feel authentic, someone has researched the objects, furnishings, materials and visual details necessary to make that world believable.
That is the space in which Angelica Figueroa has been building her career.
Her work reflects an ability to move between creative vision and practical execution — transforming research and storytelling concepts into physical environments that can exist convincingly in front of the camera.
As Figueroa continues developing her career in American film and entertainment, her appearance on The Andrew Eborn Show introduces a wider audience to a filmmaker whose contribution happens largely behind the scenes but becomes visible in virtually every frame.
WATCH THE INTERVIEW
Watch Angelica Figueroa on The Andrew Eborn Show on Octopus TV:
ABOUT ANGELICA FIGUEROA
Angelica Figueroa is a Los Angeles-based Production Designer and Art Department professional originally from Morelos, Mexico. A graduate of the New York Film Academy with a BFA in Filmmaking, she works across Production Design, Art Direction, Set Dressing and Prop Master roles. Her credits span narrative films, performance videos, promotional productions and independent projects, with a creative approach centered on research, visual storytelling, props, sourcing and detailed environmental design.
