The furor might have died down after a couple of hours, but instead reached a new intensity after Marc Jacobs took to Instagram to address the criticism. Responding to two commenters using the handle @themarcjacobs, he wrote below a photo on his brand’s page: “All who cry ‘cultural appropriation’ or whatever nonsense about any race or skin color wearing their hair in any particular style or manner — funny how you don’t criticize women of color for straightening their hair. I respect and am inspired by people and how they look. I don’t see color or race — I see people.”

His response set off a slew of fresh condemnations on social media.

Capturing a sentiment expressed widely on the Instagram thread below Mr. Jacobs’s comment, one user wrote: “black women who straighten their hair were forced to conform to those standards. A form of assimilation. I’m from Canada but in America if your hair is unkept, in styles such as dreads, Afros, cornrows, black women lose jobs and opportunities, and they also get ridiculed like Zendaya.” The user, @kiidiosa, was referring to comments the E! News host Giuliana Rancic made about the singer Zendaya’s locs at the Oscars in 2015.

The same user continued: “You don’t see color, huh? How convenient for you. Cuz black women are reminded abt their hair and skin everyday. But your privilege has allowed you that option. I loved you, also didn’t take offense to the dreads, but your comment was redundant and ignorant. Shame.”

This wasn’t the first time a fashion designer has come under fire for cultural appropriation. Last year, Valentino was criticized for sending models down the runway with their hair in cornrow buns, and DSquared2 faced outrage over a collection that the brand described as “an ode to America’s native tribes meets the noble spirit of Old Europe.”