Retailer apologizes for ‘poor taste’ bra campaign
Simons named products after famous women
MONTREAL • A Quebec clothing store has publicly apologized for a recent promotional campaign to sell bras named for famous Canadian women after former Supreme Court justice Beverley McLachlin complained about the “Beverley bralette.”
Calling the campaign in “poor taste,” Peter Simons, the president and CEO of La Maison Simons, also apologized to McLachlin, the only living woman featured in the ads, for the “inappropriate” use of her name and reputation without her knowledge or consent.
“As president of La Maison Simons, I allowed the use of the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlan’s name to market one of our products without her permission or knowledge. This initiative was in poor taste and I offer my heartfelt and sincerest apologies for this inappropriate use of Ms. McLachlin’s name, as well as that of the other women,” reads the statement issued Monday.
The apology, which includes a pledge to an Ottawa women’s shelter at McLachlin’s behest, comes roughly 10 days after the lingerie ads first appeared in a newsletter to subscribers and on the Simons website Sept. 6.
The ads did not mention McLachlin’s or other women’s last names. But it used the tagline “She was the first woman to be appointed chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada,” alongside a photograph of a young woman wearing nothing but the Beverley. The bralette sold for $29.
Simons said he decided to discontinue and destroy all the materials related the line following his call with McLachlin, who was “quite upset.” McLachlin retired in December after spending 28 years at the Supreme Court, including almost 18 as chief justice.
The campaign also featured a bralette named after the late cabinet minister Flora MacDonald — “she became Canada’s first female minister of foreign affairs”; a plunge bra named after Gabrielle Roy — “She was a celebrated author whose words had a lasting influence on Quebec culture”; and a full-coverage bra for Nellie McClung — “An author and celebrated journalist, she fought for women to receive ‘qualified persons’ status in Canada,” to name just a few examples.
When contacted by Postmedia News Sept. 7, Simons’s vice-president of marketing Philippe Normand declined to comment.
But subscribers who received the newsletter did not hold back, either on social media or when speaking to Postmedia.
The ads had a message all right, said Sandra Eber: “Next time you’re facing a strong, competent woman, just think of how adorable she looks undressed.”
“These are women who fought to have women recognized as human beings, who reached the highest level of the courts and in their fields, and we reduce them to seductive, cheeky underwear,” said Lysanne Larose, who wrote a formal letter of complaint to Simons. “Let’s erect monuments to these women, not a line of bras.”
Simons’ initial response to Larose was that the campaign was “entirely developed and approved by women of all ages and every horizon,” and was intended to highlight pioneering women. “Our intention through this campaign is rather to demonstrate the force and character of women from yesterday, today and tomorrow.”
Simons expected to get a reaction, the letter to Larose continued, and had received both positive and negative comments.
Following the publication of a story in the Montreal Gazette, however, the taglines were removed from the bras, leaving only the names (Beverley, Rose, Nellie, Gabrielle).
Then the bras were pulled off the shelves and the website altogether.
The mea culpa issued Monday includes a promise by the company to do better.
“Since 1840, five generations of my family have aspired to build an organization that never waivers from our values of respect, empathy and responsibility to the communities we live in. Realizing my error, I have discontinued and destroyed all materials relating to this campaign. Our organization will be meeting to ensure that we learn from this incident.”
It also includes a pledge to support a fundraising campaign this fall by Cornerstone Housing for Women, which is working on a project in Ottawa to provide homes to 42 women.
The apology did not specify how much Simons would donate to Cornerstone. Among its past contributions, Simons has donated varying amounts to Women’s Shelters Canada, the Native Women’s Association and to breast cancer research.
McLachlin served 17 years as Chief Justice of Canada before retiring last year as the longest-serving chief justice in the country’s history.
Lawyer Katie Black, a spokeswoman for McLachlin, stated, “The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin thanks Simons for their prompt attention to this matter. She is pleased that a charitable donation will be made to Cornerstone Housing for Women in Ottawa.”