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Martha Stewart has spoken out after facing criticism for dressing up as a homeless person for Halloween, saying she never intended to offend anyone and wanted to draw attention to homelessness.
The 85-year-old businesswoman shared a photo of herself in the costume on Instagram on Saturday, October 31. She wore ripped jeans, a torn sweater and a flannel shirt, with dirt smeared across her face. She also held a clipboard with the words, "I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!"
The image appeared in a carousel promoting her QVC candle collection, alongside photographs of the products. Stewart captioned the post, "My QVC candles are perfect for Halloween!!!!!"
However, the costume quickly attracted criticism from social media users who accused her of making light of poverty and the experiences of people living without homes. The post was subsequently deleted, although screenshots had already circulated online.
On Sunday, November 1, Stewart addressed the reaction in a statement to Page Six, saying she was upset that the costume had caused offence.
"I am distressed that my Halloween costume yesterday, which was intended to bring more awareness to the very serious subject of homelessness, has offended people, which was never my intention," she said.
Stewart added that homelessness was an issue she cared deeply about and said she had spent considerable time supporting organisations working to address it.
"Homelessness continues to remain one of America's greatest challenges and ongoing crises, something that I care deeply about and I have spent a significant amount of time and effort supporting charities that combat this ongoing social epidemic," she continued.
She also said she remained committed to supporting efforts to make a difference.
The television personality, who has spent decades sharing Halloween recipes, decorations and entertaining ideas, previously described the holiday as one of her favourites. In her statement, she also reflected on her long association with Halloween and the traditions she has encouraged others to embrace over the years.
Despite the controversy, Stewart continued posting on Instagram on Sunday, sharing content about saffron.
