Abercrombie settles discrimination suit: $40Mill

Honeykiss1974 · #1 04-19-2002, 05:06 PM

Abercrombie pulls 'racist' Asian theme T-shirts

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) --Clothing maker Abercrombie & Fitch said on Thursday it was pulling a new line of Asian-themed T-shirts after Asian-American groups complained they were a blatant example of racist stereotyping.

The shirts, which retail for $25, hit the shelves this week and carry caricatures of slant-eyed Asians in conical hats along with such slogans as "WONG BROTHERS LAUNDRY SERVICE: TWO WONGS CAN MAKE IT WHITE" and "WOK-N-BOWL -- CHINESE FOOD AND BOWLING."

"It is not and never has been our intention to offend anyone," Abercrombie spokesman Hampton Carney said.

"These graphic T-shirts were designed with the sole purpose of adding humor and levity to our fashion line. Since some customers have been offended by their content, we are pulling these shirts from our stores," he added.

'It is just like the 1800s'
Asian-American groups in California reacted with anger this week after the shirts appeared in local Abercrombie stores, with local activists saying their cartoonish representation of Asian figures carried a racist message.

"This is really blatant. It is just like the 1800s," said the Rev. Norman Fong, program director at San Francisco's Chinatown Community Development Center.

"The company has been totally insensitive, and people are pretty upset."

Carney said the popular youth clothing maker had believed the shirts might appeal to Asian-American consumers, and was surprised by the hostile reception they received.

"The thought was that everyone would love them, especially the Asian community. We thought they were cheeky, irreverent and funny and everyone would love them. But that has not been the case."

Carney was unable to estimate how many shirts would be recalled from Abercrombie's roughly 500 stores nationwide, although he said a number of stores had not yet taken delivery of the items.

Abercrombie & Fitch, based in New Albany, Ohio, has been the target of consumer complaint before. In 1998 Mothers against Drunk Driving protested a two-page advertising spread entitled "Drinking 101" that contained recipes for alcoholic drinks, while other parents have complained that the youth-oriented company frequently features overtly sexy photos in its advertising layouts.

Abercrombie stock closed up 1.65 percent at $33.30 in New York on Thursday. The company was again the subject of controversy in 2000, playing a central role in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's "Reg FD," or regulation fair disclosure. (full story).

It cooperated with the SEC, after investors sued the retailer over claims it warned a Lazard Freres analyst of disappointing earnings days before the investing public.

Copyright 2002 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Honeykiss1974 · #2 04-19-2002, 05:08 PM

The spokesman stated that "These graphic T-shirts were designed with the sole purpose of adding humor and levity to our fashion line. " ??????

WTH?????????

Wonderful1908 · #3 04-19-2002, 06:31 PM

I can't believe that these shirts actually made it to the stores. Some of the things people buy.

#4 04-19-2002, 07:21 PM

I couldn't believe it either! Yesterday, a bunch of reporters made their way to the A&F store at Ala Moana, and they pretty much said the same thing the spokesman said. Still, it wasn't difficult to purchase the clothes in question. How could they think that they'd get away with something like this without protest from the public???

I really don't see the "humor" and "levity" in that...

Sugar_N_Spice · #5 04-19-2002, 07:45 PM

I heard about this yesterday...

Myself and a friend were just talking about how sometimes we really think that white folxs generally don't know when they are being offensive...Yeah, but in this instance that cannot be the case! No one is that stupid...

stillwater15 · #6 04-19-2002, 10:26 PM

this is absolutely pathetic. the powers that be, who approved the design and production of the t-shirts need to be reprimanded.

carnation · #7 04-19-2002, 10:47 PM

"The thought was that everyone would love them, especially the Asian community. We thought they were cheeky, irreverent and funny and everyone would love them. But that has not been the case."

The Asian community in this house is not amused.

cash78mere · #8 04-20-2002, 11:42 AM

i was disgusted when i heard about it.

and the sayings do not even make sense! what was supposed to be "funny" about them?

SeriousAKA · #9 04-20-2002, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974

The shirts, which retail for $25, hit the shelves this week and carry caricatures of slant-eyed Asians in conical hats along with such slogans as "WONG BROTHERS LAUNDRY SERVICE: TWO WONGS CAN MAKE IT WHITE" and "WOK-N-BOWL -- CHINESE FOOD AND BOWLING."

"It is not and never has been our intention to offend anyone," Abercrombie spokesman Hampton Carney said.

"These graphic T-shirts were designed with the sole purpose of adding humor and levity to our fashion line. Since some customers have been offended by their content, we are pulling these shirts from our stores," he added.

Carney said the popular youth clothing maker had believed the shirts might appeal to Asian-American consumers, and was surprised by the hostile reception they received.

"The thought was that everyone would love them, especially the Asian community. We thought they were cheeky, irreverent and funny and everyone would love them. But that has not been the case."

I cannot believe that ANYONE would think that this is funny!!!!! What's next? How did they not expect the Asian Community to be upset? I'm upset!!!! This is riducules!!! A&F needs to feel some serious reprecutions for this!!!

33girl · #10 04-20-2002, 08:15 PM

They probably knew exactly what they were doing. Abercrombie knows the more controversy they generate the more free publicity they get. I can't believe this is the same company that used to make the flannel shirts your dad wore to hunting camp.

Honeykiss1974 · #11 04-20-2002, 08:23 PM

Here is one of those T-shirts

AKA_Monet · #12 04-20-2002, 11:22 PM

Okay, when I attend my Klan rallies, I think I could buy a shirt like that... But dayum, I didn't know Abercrombie and Fitch were the kard karrying kind!!!

That is a joke... I'm only joking!!! I have questions on who would make some chit like dat and then sell it to folks??? And the shi(r)ts had better not been "made in China"!!! 'Cuz I'd be even more upset!!! "They" silk screened that crap on there for what reason???

ladyj39 · #13 04-22-2002, 01:36 PM

As an asian american living in the SF Bay Area, I was very offended. I was watching the news and they reported that although management said they were going to pull all of the shirts from the racks, they were still on sale hours later. At the end of the day, they were all gone, not because they pulled them, but because they sold out!

After all the drama, I can't believe people would still buy these shirts. It makes me sick that people think this kind of thing is funny!

Dionysus · #14 04-22-2002, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKA_Monet
Okay, when I attend my Klan rallies, I think I could buy a shirt like that... But dayum, I didn't know Abercrombie and Fitch were the kard karrying kind!!!

That is a joke... I'm only joking!!! I have questions on who would make some chit like dat and then sell it to folks??? And the shi(r)ts had better not been "made in China"!!! 'Cuz I'd be even more upset!!! "They" silk screened that crap on there for what reason???

I'm not surprised at all by A+F.

Ironically, as of know I am wearing an A+F shirt.
I checked the tag, it said "made in Macau", which is in or associated with CHINA. SHAME ON THEM!!!

ClassyLady · #15 04-22-2002, 07:34 PM

How could you not know that something like that would be offensive? Do you think that Abercrombie would have released a t-shirt that had stereotypical caricatures of black people advertising fried chicken or watermelons? Hell no! If you wouldn't do it to Blacks or Latinos, then why would you do it to Asian Americans.

Sometimes I really think that some people will do something offensive purposely just to see if a minority group will complain. Maybe, the Abercrombie execs thought "I wonder if Asian Americans will complain about this. If so, then we get free publicity. No problem. If not, we sell racist t-shirts. No problem."

By the way, I have never liked A & F's clothes and I will never buy them. If they think that I will pay $100 for some jeans that look like they've been worn for thirty years, they must be downright mad, I tell you, mad!