Purveyors of overpriced hipster crap Urban Outfitters are no strangers to pissing people off — just ask any one of the many designers whose work has been ripped off, repackaged and resold.
But now the chain is in hot water for featuring a tapestry (right) that looks uncomfortably similar to the uniform the Nazis made gay prisoners wear (far right). Gray and white stripes, upside-down pink triangle. Come on, guys.
ADL National Director and Holocaust survivor Abraham H Foxman said: “Whether intentional or not, this gray and white stripped pattern and pink triangle combination is deeply offensive and should not be mainstreamed into popular culture.
“We urge Urban Outfitters to immediately remove the product eerily reminiscent of clothing forced upon the victims of the Holocaust from their stores and online.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
In 2012, Urban Outfitters released a t-shirt with a yellow Star of David, evoking another image from the Holocaust.
They also sold a “vintage looking” Kent State sweatshirt with paint splatters that looked eerily like blood. Kent State was the site of a gruesome shooting in 1970 that left four students dead.
It really makes you wonder what the product approval process is like up in the corporate offices.
h/t: Pink News
DonW
Well, they’re getting lots of free publicity, which is exactly what they want.
VampDC
People are so sensitive. Don’t like it don’t buy it. But why does everything have to be so politically correct today?
DarkZephyr
Why would anyone want such an ugly tapestry anyway? Even if it was a blue circle instead of an inverted pink triangle.
@VampDC: If anyone has a right to be so “sensitive”, it’s a holocaust survivor. Did you live through the holocaust?
Paco
@VampDC: “But why does everything have to be so politically correct today?”
So history never repeats itself.
Cam
So they got tons of publicity, and now hipster gays are lining up to buy the tops. Mission accomplished Urban Outfitter.
1898
@VampDC: This isn’t about political correctness. This is about people saying that, gosh golly gee, maybe just maybe a company shouldn’t glamorize mass murders and genocides.
It’s bad enough that many people aren’t even aware that homosexuals were among those targeted and murdered during the holocaust. This company trying to make a buck off of it is disgusting. And it’s not the first time they’ve done such things.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Maybe the utterly ignorant ass may want to use the Googles images and input “Gays concentration camp” prior to putting any coin in this vile abhorrent company’s coffers…..
polarisfashion
@DarkZephyr: I don’t know why anyone would want a shirt that reminds them of one of the darkest times in human history. I have two Jewish friends that had relatives that survived those camps. From what I was told neither of the men would talk much about it. I have been to the museum in DC, but I still can’t imagine the horror of actually living through it, let alone dying in it. Those shirts are an abomination and should be destroyed.
1898
There are obviously some very sick and disturbed people who are dreaming up these ideas at Urban Outfitters. I remember the Kent State shirt… it was horrible.
tdx3fan
The thing I find most offensive is their pricing. I was going to buy the Kent State sweatshirt since I go to Kent State and you have no idea how overly hyped some kids that couldn’t mind their own damn business in 1970 gets to this day, but the thing was like $80 for a freaking old sweatshirt. Damn!
tdx3fan
@1898: I don’t find it offensive. Its more a reminder that when the public wants to assault the military it will probably end very badly for them.
callenstewart
Pretty disgusting on their part.
DarkZephyr
@polarisfashion: I agree completely, although they aren’t shirts, they are tapestries. Fabric wall hangings.
jwtraveler
Holocaust chic. How delightful! Can’t wait to see their fashionable styling of a KKK hood.
jwtraveler
@VampDC: Please tell me that was an unfortunate attempt at humor.
GayDinosaurTales
It’s true, look at the publicity they are getting and without spending any ad money. I was at Kent State in 1970…yes there are still people alive from that long ago, and that was bad enough. This is savvy marketing and anyone who falls for it deserves to be ripped off by their over-priced offensive garbage.
Pistolo
In a weird way, I don’t mind that it’s drawing attention to the fact that gay people have been persecuted for CENTURIES and murdered in droves which is something they never talk about in history class. It’s a reality of our history we need to come to terms with to evolve. The reality is, for years people would burn, castrate, mutilate, humiliate, and torture gay people, particularly “sodomists” until they died.
I also don’t like the rainbow, I prefer the triangle as a symbol of the queer community because it actually has more depth to it, I think.
demented
Cheap advertising through scandal. I hope nobody actually buys this crap.
Cam
@tdx3fan: said… “some kids that couldn’t mind their own damn business in 1970”
_____________________________
So lets see, kids were protesting, the National Guard fires over 60 rounds into the group, and that is the kids fault.
1EqualityUSA
Urban outfitters are as good as dead in my book. total asses.
enfilmigult
“Whether intentional or not”? Well that was polite of him.
Lindoro Almaviva
@VampDC: So what I am hearing from you in that if they decided to print a shirt that says “Faggots are target practice, and I am a good shot.” you would not have any issues with it, right?
Clark35
I’d never heard of this clothing before. I looked them up and they do this just to get people to buy their clothing or talk about them. I agree with VampDC if you’re offended by it, don’t buy it. I’ve never bought any of their clothing or been to their store and it’s not because I’m offended but because I don’t like their clothing.
DarkZephyr
@Clark35: You continue to compete with MarionPage for the role of most awful person on queerty.com, I see.
vive
I am not sure this is a bad thing. If it is done with the intention to educate people of gay victims about the holocaust, that is a good thing. Similarly with the Kent State shirt – should we rather bury these atrocities than educate people about them? I am sure there are many people on the Right who would like both these events to be forgotten and never referenced in our culture.
Provine
Interesting how Mr. Foxman never actually mentions the gay community. Almost as if he’s grandstanding or something…
Kangol
@vive: If they were sponsoring a campaign to educate people, that’s one thing, but to make money of the extermination of millions of people targeted because of their religious heritage is SICK.
There is no excuse, really; just imagine having your entire family wiped out, and then someone takes the symbol of that extermination and tries to make a dime off of it. Wouldn’t you be disgusted?
What’s next, slave shackle anklets? Internment camp t-shirts? Tutsi mass grave planters? Urban Outfitters knows how offensive this is. They have to.
tricky ricky
@VampDC: you are incredibly dense. some things are just not done because they go beyond the bounds of quiet good taste. this is one of them.
UpInTheGallery
I don’t buy the argument that this has education value. Should we start displaying swastikas for educational purposes?