Zara has pulled a denim skirt from sale after a social media user pointed out that it featured a lookalike of Pepe The Frog, a meme that has been used by white supremacists.

The Spanish retailer came under fire earlier this week after a Twitter user posted a link to its website, writing: 'Zara is really out there trying to sell a P*pe the frog skirt, apparently unaware (?) of its current implications.'

Pepe The Frog emerged in 2005 as an innocuous cartoon character drawn by artist Matt Furie. It has since been appropriated by the alt-right and regularly features in racist and anti-Semitic images circulating around social media.

Outrage: Zara has pulled a denim skirt from sale after a social media user pointed out that it featured a lookalike of Pepe The Frog, a meme that has been used by white supremacists

Context: Pepe The Frog (pictured) emerged in 2005 as an innocuous character drawn by artist Matt Furie, but it has since been appropriated by the alt-right and declared a hate symbol

The now-retired skirt featured two different frogs with thin lips and a shape closely resembling Pepe The Frog's features.

But the retailer insisted the design had nothing to do with the infamous meme, which was declared a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League in September last year.

The item was part of a limited collection for which Zara collaborated with several artists, a spokesperson told Vogue.

'The designer of the skirt is Mario de Santiago, known online as Yimeisgreat,' the spokesperson added.

'Mario explores social interactions through his work and in his own words: "The idea came from a wall painting I drew with friends four years ago." There is absolutely no link to the suggested theme.'

Whistle blower: The Spanish retailer came under fire earlier this week after a Twitter user posted a link to its website, writing: 'Zara is really out there trying to sell a P*pe the frog skirt'

Zara prompted outrage less than three years ago for selling children's T-shirt with stripes and a yellow star, which the concentration camp uniforms worn by Holocaust victims.

In 2007, the chain withdrew handbags with after a customer in the UK complained it had four green swastikas embroidered on it.

White supremacist memes involving Pepe The Frog became more widely used during the past presidential election, the Anti-Defamation League points out in its hate symbols database.

Its creator, Furie, has strongly disavowed the new meaning imposed on his character.