Popular clothing retailer Urban Outfitters has taken heat for selling a faux blood-stained, “vintage” sweatshirt evoking the Kent State University shootings of 1970.
The mocked-up sweatshirt appeared on the retailer’s website Sunday evening. It appeared to be a reference to the shooting of college students by the Ohio National Guard in May 1970, complete with splotches of fake blood. The company’s website never described it as a reference to the shooting, however.
The product immediately invited backlash on social media:
Urban Outfitters explores the outer reaches of bad taste. http://t.co/gxQnWAvCuS pic.twitter.com/GX7l8NT251
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) September 15, 2014
Urban Outfitters is selling what looks like a bloody Kent State sweatshirt, so distasteful http://t.co/l7XO0ruZJi pic.twitter.com/1sFa8HSziO
— Lainna Fader (@lainnafader) September 15, 2014
By Monday morning, UrbanOutfitters.com listed the item as “sold out,” and any attempt to visit the product page displayed a notification without an image of the sweatshirt.
On Monday morning Urban Outfitters responded with an apology, addressing the sweartshirt’s bloody apperance.
“The red stains are discoloration from the original shade of the shirt and the holes are from natural wear and fray,” the statement read.
.@UrbanOutfitters spokesperson sent me the following statement, re: blood-stained Kent State shirt: pic.twitter.com/DGH9YiXMaf
— Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24) September 15, 2014
The original item description read: “Washed soft and perfectly broken in, this vintage Kent State sweatshirt is cut in a loose, slouchy fit. Excellent vintage condition.”
This post has been updated.
- Contributions allow us to hire more journalists
- Contributions allow us to provide free memberships to those who cannot afford them
- Contributions support independent, non-corporate journalism
