In October 2024, Bath & Body Works found itself at the center of a storm after a winter-themed candle called “Snowed In” sparked intense backlash for its packaging design. The label—which featured a white, cone-shaped snowflake with two central holes—prompted comparisons on social media to Ku Klux Klan hoods, a powerful symbol of hate. Within days, the company issued a public apology and pulled the product from both stores and its website (AP News, The Cut, The Guardian).
A spokesperson emphasized that the resemblance was entirely unintentional, stating: “We apologize to anyone we’ve offended and are swiftly working to have this item removed and are evaluating our process going forward.” (People.com, CEO Today) The reaction online was swift, with users on Reddit and Instagram dubbing it the “Klandle,” questioning how such a design passed internal review (The Economic Times, The Guardian).
This incident wasn’t the brand’s first cultural misstep. In 2022, Bath & Body Works was criticized for a Black History Month collection featuring kente cloth-inspired packaging—seen by many as cultural appropriation. Although the company defended the collection by highlighting its partnership with civil rights groups and a $500,000 donation, the controversy still drew considerable attention (The Guardian, CEO Today).
The broader fallout of the “Snowed In” candle controversy serves as a sobering case in design and branding: even where intent is benign, interpretations vary widely and swiftly. As marketing expert Dr. Marcus Collins noted in Forbes, “intent and interpretation are not analogous”—in design, especially, perception can outweigh intention (Forbes).
Moving forward, Bath & Body Works has pledged to reassess its design approval processes, aiming to ensure that future products strike the right balance between festive and culturally sensitive.
