Urban Outfitters apologized on Monday morning for marketing a “vintage” Kent State University sweatshirt that featured what could easily be perceived as blood stains and bullet holes,
Or subscribe now to read with unlimited access for as low as $10/month.
A free account provides you access to a limited number of free articles each month, plus newsletters, job postings, salary data, and exclusive store discounts.
Urban Outfitters apologized on Monday morning for marketing a “vintage” Kent State University sweatshirt that featured what could easily be perceived as blood stains and bullet holes, The Washington Post reports.
Urban Outfitters’ red-stained, “vintage” Kent State sweatshirt is not a smart look this fall. http://t.co/MuJhCoyrbS pic.twitter.com/Zf4WehMTik
— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 15, 2014
BuzzFeed first reported on the sweatshirt, which, for those with a working knowledge of 20th-century American history, brings to mind the Kent State shootings, in 1970, a flash point of the Vietnam War era. Four people were killed and 13 injured on May 4, 1970, when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on protesters.
“It was never our intention to allude to the tragic events that took place at Kent State in 1970, and we are extremely saddened that this item was perceived as such,” the company said in a statement, adding that the red marks are discolorations and the holes the result of wear and tear.
The university issued a statement condemning the product, The Plain Dealer reports. “We take great offense to a company using our pain for their publicity and profit,” the university said. “This item is beyond poor taste and trivializes a loss of life that still hurts the Kent State community today.”
