Outspoken designer Kenneth Cole apologized Thursday to his Twitter fans after joking that the “uproar in Cairo” was caused by the buzz surrounding his Spring collection.

“Millions are in uproar in Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online….” Cole, 58, tweeted to his more than 9,000 followers on the micro-blogging website.

He was later slammed for his insensitivity, with one Twitter user responding, “You should be ashamed of yourselves @KennethCole ! How tasteless and insensitive! People are dying there!”

Less than an hour after writing his initial post, Cole tweeted an apology, “We weren’t intending to make light of a serious situation. We understand the sensitivity of this historic moment -KC.”

The designer is known for making controversial references in his brand’s socially conscious advertisements, often hitting on social taboos and political issues.