Designer Kenneth Cole arrives at amfAR's annual "Honoring with Pride" celebration in New York
Designer Kenneth Cole arrives at amfAR's annual "Honoring with Pride" celebration in New York Reuters

Fashion designer Kenneth Cole has sparked outrage with a tweet that appears to trivialize the ongoing political turmoil in Egypt.

The tweet read: “Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo -KC”

Cole (or one of his representatives) subsequently issued the following apology through another tweet: “Re Egypt tweet: we weren’t intending to make light of a serious situation. We understand the sensitivity of this historic moment -KC”

According to media reports, Cole made a similarly insensitive remark following the Sept. 11 terror attacks when he said to the New York Daily News: “Important moments like this are a time to reflect… To remind us, sometimes, that it’s not only important what you wear, but it’s also important to be aware.”