No. Just no.
Urban Outfitters has found themselves in a LOT of trouble for the inappropriate apparel they’ve hawked in the past, and they never seem to learn from their mistakes.
They’ve tried to sell shirts that look like concentration camp uniforms, they’ve sold tees that glorify depression and gangs, and much much more.
But their latest slip-up just might be the worst one EVER.
The retailer has been selling a faux vintage sweatshirt with a Kent State logo on it, and the fabric appears to be covered in blood stains.
In case you forgot, Kent State was the scene of a bloody massacre in 1970 when four unarmed students were killed by the Ohio National Guard for protesting the Vietnam War. The sweatshirt seems to be a reference to that tragic event.
To see the sweatshirt in question and what Kent State University had to say about it, keep reading:
“We take great offense to a company using our pain for their publicity and profit. This item is beyond poor taste and trivializes a loss of life that still hurts the Kent State community today.
We invite the leaders of this company as well as anyone who invested in this item to tour our May 4 Visitors Center, which opened two years ago, to gain perspective on what happened 44 years ago and apply its meaning to the future.”
You tell ’em, Kent State!
However, Urban Outfitters denies that the coloring of the item has anything to do with blood or violence. After much customer outrage, they released a statement saying:
“It was never our intention to allude to the tragic events that took place at Kent State in 1970 and we are extremely saddened that this item was perceived as such ├óΓé¼┬ª There is no blood on this shirt nor has this item been altered in any way. The red stains are discoloration from the original shade of the shirt and the holes are from natural wear and fray.”
Sounds like a load of bull crap to us…once you see the shirt, there’s no way to view the red stains as anything BUT blood.
View the disturbing image (below) to see what we mean:
The sweatshirt is no longer available to view or purchase on Urban Outfitter’s website, but a few people have allegedly tried to sell them on eBay.
It’s hard to believe Urban Outfitters can still be in business after upsetting so many different people over the years.
Thoughts?
[Image via Urban Outfitters.]
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