Urban Outfitters, the oft-controversial retailer, pulled a crop top patterned with the word "depression" from its website today after shoppers complained that it was trying to make illness into a fashion statement.
The brand, which came under fire in 2010 for selling a T-shirt that said "eat less" on it (that was subsequently yanked), tweeted that it heard the criticism and would remove the shirt from its website.
The shirt was actually made by a small brand called Depression. It didn't appear to be selling well as it was marked down to $9.99 from an original price of $59. It was the only item that came up when searching "depression" on the website, and is now listed as sold out.
Urban Outfitters, which also owns Free People and Anthropologie, admitted on a November earnings call that sales at its namesake brand have suffered recently from "missed fashion calls, off-pitch marketing, and poor creative execution."
It's disgusting how a huge company can go around presenting illness as a fashion statement. @UrbanOutfitters
queen b
@briannadoria
It's disgusting how a huge company can go around presenting illness as a fashion statement. @UrbanOutfitters
It was the only item sold by the Depression brand on the website.
The company apologized on Twitter and said it would remove the shirt from its website.
Hey everyone, we hear you and we are taking the shirt down from the site.
Urban Outfitters
@UrbanOutfitters
Hey everyone, we hear you and we are taking the shirt down from the site.
For those asking, the tee was designed by a small brand named Depression and we are no longer selling it on our site. http://t.co/my3AKjV0D5
Urban Outfitters
@UrbanOutfitters
For those asking, the tee was designed by a small brand named Depression and we are no longer selling it on our site. http://t.co/my3AKjV0D5
Many people still took to social media to express their outrage at Urban Outfitters for selling a shirt that "glamorizes depression."
urban outfitters think its cool to make tops that seem tumblr by writing depression all over tshirt um
mariam ¨̮
@japanziam
urban outfitters think its cool to make tops that seem tumblr by writing depression all over tshirt um
I wonder if @UrbanOutfitters think it's "cool" to have depression or anorexia nervosa? Or is it all about profiting off of mental disorders?
Esmerelda
@vocalsabbatical
I wonder if @UrbanOutfitters think it's "cool" to have depression or anorexia nervosa? Or is it all about profiting off of mental disorders?
Oh yeah @urbanoutfitters, depression is so fun and fashionable. It's right up there with colon cancer.
Matt Haig
@matthaig1
Oh yeah @urbanoutfitters, depression is so fun and fashionable. It's right up there with colon cancer.
the fact that urban outfitters glamorizes depression/eating disorders really makes me never want to shop there again
Paul Richard
@paulboy
the fact that urban outfitters glamorizes depression/eating disorders really makes me never want to shop there again
