Urban Outfitters Halts Sale of Controversial T-Shirt
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Urban Outfitters(NEW YORK) — For the second time in less than a month, Urban Outfitters has stopped selling a piece of clothing that has triggered a backlash on social media.
The latest fashion faux pas is a T-shirt for women with “depression” written all over it.
The shirt prompted anger on Twitter.
i dealt with depression and anorexia/bulimia for 5 years, this is so offensive #DepressionIsntAFashionStatement pic.twitter.com/3saxrMkD3S
— lottie 225 DAYS (@juiceboxdan) January 5, 2014
Urban Outfitters have made a depression t-shirt. Well done, you’ve made it even harder for people genuinely suffering to be taken seriously.
— chloe (@yeshomo_) January 5, 2014
Many commenters are comparing the shirt to a women’s V-neck with the words “Eat Less” Urban Outfitters sold in 2010.
When will urban outfitters stop making mental illnesses a fashion statement? pic.twitter.com/0Gk0ARYDyf
— Eduardo (@EndBullyinNow) January 5, 2014
The company responded over the weekend by halting sales of the shirt, which was only sold online, and went on social media to apologize for the shirt.
Hey everyone, we hear you and we are taking the shirt down from the site.
— Urban Outfitters (@UrbanOutfitters) January 5, 2014
The depression shirt was created by a small Singaporean clothing line named “Depression.”
“I was shocked that after one T-shirt people jumped to this conclusion,” Kenny Lim, co-founder of Depression, told ABC News. “We make happy clothes,” he said.
Lim, 37, and his business partner Andrew Loh came up with the name of the company after they left unhappy jobs in advertising to start the clothing venture.
“I got very depressed at work,” Lim told ABC News. “The clothing line is a reminder that we can be happy every day when we go to work.”
Lim said the shirt was simply their logo printed on the T-shirt. He said he’s never gotten this kind of reaction since starting the company in 2006.
“I just think we are being misunderstood,” Lim said. “I just want the focus to be on the brand.”
Lim said the shirt was designed six or eight months ago for men and it sold out in Singapore. Urban Outfitters then approached Depression about making a women’s cut off tee.
When asked if his company will continue production on shirts like this, Lim said “I think it’s best we don’t make it anymore.”
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio