Fashion retailer H&M has pulled a collection of Justin Bieber-inspired merchandise out of “respect” after the pop star told fans he did not approve of the clothing line.
The Canadian singer urged his 270 million followers on Instagram to not to buy the items which he said were being sold without his permission or approval.
He said on Instagram Story: "The H&M Merch they made out of me is trash and I didn't approve it. Don't buy it.
"I didn't approve any of the merch collection that they put up at H&M.
"All without my permission and approval. I wouldn't buy it if I were you."
The Swedish fashion chain was selling clothing items including hoodies, bags and T-shirts with the singer’s face and lyrics from his songs printed on them.
In a statement, H&M defended the fashion line, which reportedly features images of the star, but said they have now removed the items from their stores.
The statement read: "As with all other licensed products and partnerships, H&M followed proper approval procedures.
"But out of respect for the collaboration and Justin Bieber we have removed the garments from our stores and online."
It assured it had sought approval from Bieber as per its usual procedures, but would remove the items from sale, and they are no longer available to buy on its website.
H&M saw sales across the international chain increase by a tenth in the latest three months, compared to the same period last year, raking in £4.9 billion in net sales.
However, it recently announced it is pushing ahead with plans to cut 1,500 head office jobs globally, amid efforts to cut costs by £160 million across the business.
It's not the first time a star has hit out at a brand for using their image without permission.
In 2015, Rihanna took Topshop to court and successfully sued Topshop's parent company for £3.3m after it sold a sleeveless T-shirt with her photo on it.
Later in 2019, Ariana Grande claimed clothing shop Forever 21 published at least 30 "unauthorised" images and videos that suggested she had endorsed the brand.
Just was recently forced to postpone his upcoming tour due to his face paralysis syndrome.
A statement regarding the tour read: "In light of Justin's ongoing recovery, the remaining US Justice tour shows scheduled for June and early July will be postponed.
"Justin continues to receive the best medical care possible, is upbeat about his recovery, and is looking forward to getting back out on the road and performing for his fans overseas later this summer.
"Details on rescheduled US dates will be made public shortly. Refunds will be available at point of purchase. Tickets will be honored for all rescheduled dates."
The news of Justin's diagnosis comes after his wife Hailey was admitted to hospital in March after experiencing "stroke-like symptoms" and later had surgery on a heart defect.
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