Friday, July 30, 2004
Victoria's Secret withdraws offensive Buddha bikini
PK Balachanddran Colombo, July 28
In the face of intense opposition from Sri Lanka and the rest of the Buddhist world, Limited Brands Inc - the American company which makes the "Victoria's Secret" brand of lingerie - have withdrawn their floral bikinis depicting the image of Lord Buddha.
A press release from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that following a representation made by its embassy in Washington, the company had withdrawn the images of the offending swim suit from its website also.
The company's Vice President (External Communications), Anthony Hebron, had written to the Sri Lankan ambassador in Washington expressing his 'sincere apologies' and saying that there was "no intention of showing disrespect to Lord Buddha or Buddhism."
The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, had convened a meeting of all the ambassadors and high commissioners of countries with a large Buddhist population to get backing for a ban on the bikini.
Sri Lankan ambassadors had also appealed to countries they were accredited to, to withdraw the offending bikinis from their markets.
© HT Media Ltd. 2004.