One of my favorite retailers, Urban Outfitters, has betrayed me and their other loyal consumers with the removal of pro-gay marriage t-shirts from their shelves. Urban Outfitters (UO) offered items you try to find at second-hand shops, only at triple the price. Despite this, if a special item came along, I was happy to pay for it. One of their staple items is printed t-shirts. The removed shirt read “ I support same sex marriage” and was original pulled because it received “too much bad press.” Although with no bad press found, the likeliness reason is discrimination because the CEO of UO, Richard Hayne, is very right wing, anti-gay Republican. That’s right, while the majority of UO’s consumers are open-minded, free-spirited, fashion-forward, idealistic people; UO’s creator is the opposite? By purchasing a pair of UO skinny jeans, you are unknowingly supporting US Republican politicians. I figured all CEOs of major retailers were conservative, but UO has been blatantly marketed as Left Wing, hippie escapism from other brands. This shirt may have crossed the line with Mr. Hayne, but the truth about Urban Outfitter has abruptly ended this retail love affair.
Read more: http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2008/12/urban_outfitters_yanks_same-se.html
Image: WWD
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