Updated 13.45
The Weeknd has severed ties with H&M, with the singer saying he was "deeply offended" by an advert for a children's hoodie.
The Canadian singer, who has a clothing line with the retailer, said he was "shocked and embarrassed" after the company posted an ad of a black child in a sweatshirt with the words "coolest monkey in the jungle" on the front.
woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo. i’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore... pic.twitter.com/P3023iYzAb
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) January 8, 2018
H&M's ad has received widespread criticism on social media, with many people describing it as racist.
The Swedish low-cost fashion brand has publicly apologised and removed the image, saying it will 'thoroughly investigate why this happened'.
In a statement, H&M said: "We're deeply sorry that this picture was taken, and we also regret the actual print.
"We've not only removed the image from our channels, but also the garment from our product offering."
— H&M (@hm) January 9, 2018
The company added that it understood and agreed with The Weeknd's reaction, saying that it would "continue the discussion" with the 27-year-old musician and his team.
