Abercrombie & Fitch Screw Up

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Recently, a large group of students protested against Abercrombie & Fitch's new line of clothing, accusing the company of marketing racist T-shirts.

One T-shirt reads "Wong Brothers Laundry Service - Two Wongs Can Make it White." Another reads "Wok-N-Bowl, Let the Good Times Roll - Chinese Food and Bowling."

Geez. Did the think those were funny or something?

Well they've already pulled them from shelves and apologized for the ordeal. But here's a case of stupid thinking. The damage is done. I'm sure the marketing department has some new positions open.

Add this to the list of reasons not to buy clothes from Abercrombie & Fitch...

 

BTA--Yes you are the moderator on this site, but your racial courtesy needs some work. Would it be funny if these T-Shirts said something like "Jews--gotta hate those money-lenders" or "Black people--they love to steal things?" NO. This Asian stereotype is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

[This message has been edited by SlimShogun (edited April 23, 2002).]

 

Im Asian. Heck, im chinese. And actually im not offended at all. i found those t-shirts pretty cool and amusing.

 

Nice play on words, but still insulting.

It takes lots of work to come up with slogans like these.... We found out in our English class.

ESIT: I have suddenly lost my ability to spell correctly.

Ara
(SHIL shipper)


[This message has been edited by Arabwel (edited April 23, 2002).]

 

I dont like A&F all around.

I've seen plenty at school and the one that I see the most is the nude girls. Why isn't that offencive?

What about the A&F shirt that says that if your juggs arnt floping then to keep on walking of the skiny dip beach?

It all depeneds on who you are and what you say I guess. Ever watch the Simsions? Thiers a lot of stero-typing in that show. But no one seems to be offened by that because it makes you laugh. How can you be mad at something that makes you laugh?

Then theirs things like A&F who make these crappy sloggins that make fun of people who havent mutured yet and who dont have the greatest rack. It's rather sick some times.

 

A product isn't necessarily withdrawn from a market because the public finds it offensive. But because a few people in power thinks it might be offensive, right?

Ok. It is weird of which reasons people, white people, would walk around with slogans for Wong brothers or Wok food on their clothing. It is perhaps the feeling of beeing made simple merchandise and amusement for potential white customers that hurts more than the actual harmless (not particular racist!!!) text on the T-shirt.

But listen to Arkados. Perhaps someone is beeing overprotective on behalf of the asians. I would let the actual "hurt" part speak for themselves, and let us know what they mean. At least before we close it all down and call it racism! They aren't babies. They can most certainly speak for themselves.

So what is the story? Were the T-shirts withdrawn from a public coloured outcry or white outcry or just media( go with the flow)outcry? Domestic american clothing quarrels are rarely news in Europe.

 

Well, the first one is clever, but the Wok-N-Bowl one just seems cheesy.

I expect it's typical corporate hypersensitivity to the "racism" label. Ideally we'd all learn to treat race just like we do other physical characteristics and be able to make race jokes (or T-shirt slogans) just like we make jokes about weight, height, blonde-ness, etc.

But in the majority of the US today that just ain't possible. People are so sensitive that you can feel the room tense when the smallest mention of race arises. It's silly.

 

It's amazing to see a big time operation miscalculate like this. How could they think it would go over well?
I read on cnn.com that the t-shirts are selling on e-bay for around $250 (they sold for $25).

 

Just to clarify:

- the shirts contained caricatures of men with slanted eyes and conical hats, so it was quite clear who they were depicting

- I should of haves said a group of students from the UC-Berkely Asian Pacific Council attended the protests

- Come to find out there was another shirt that displayed "Abercrombie & Fitch Buddha Bash - Get Your Buddha on the Floor", again targeting a religion is not good

I agree that a lot of times things are prematurely called racist, but this is a bit too extreme.

 

Those are an absolute riot. I would love to wear one of those shirts. Does that make me racist? Do I care? No and No. People have gotten so senstive to what can and can't be said, it is getting to the point were you can't say hello to someone in fear that they will take offesnse to it and shoot you. I admit I am a white american and proud of it. I have no problems with other races making fun of us (White Americans)because it is all in good fun. All I have to say is RELAX PEOPLE!!!

 

What if the slogans came from oriental people, or only oriental people sold them. Would that be alright?

 

I never liked Abercrombie & Fitch in the first place. Maybe it should be called Abercrappy & Bitch. Stamp two words and a "&", add $40 worth to the shirt. And you get to be in the "cool" clique and ostracize your peers who don't wear A&F.

As for the "racist" slogans, I'm usually not offended about racist jokes (my friends and I crack them all the time), and I can stand the occassional squinty-eye joke (I'm Asian), but putting those slogans on the shirt kinda ticks me off. Of course, not all Chinese are laundrymen, having squinty eyes, and wear conical hats. Then again, the Chinese stereotype isn't always as negative as other ones. I certainly wouldn't buy those shirts for anyone, but I wouldn't take it that seriously. Just my two cents. Still, this just shows how far we've as a society come to take huge offense even at the slightest racist or bigoted joke or comment. Still, it's just a joke, and those who protest it should just let the "victims of racial stereotyping" speak for themselves.

Arkados Blackmire, you're Chinese? Me too!

[This message has been edited by C'Jakob (edited April 24, 2002).]

 

I've never heard of this company till I read this post, and have noticed a few people wearing A&F t shirt around - they all look like quite reasonable people really...

 

A&F is a big enough company that I am sure most people who wear their clothing doesn't even know about this scenario. That is why I posted it, because it needs to be known.

 

Heh, I am not a fan, and probably never will be.

I am a bargain shopper baby! I like clothes that are well made and still cheap!

The play on words was pretty good. But, enough people would probably take it the wrong way, so I am glad they pulled them.

 

Right on Satiana! Thats the way to shop. I do. It's nice, you have a lot of money over for other things like RPG's.

 

Please settle a bet: If someone saw a Panda Express and assumed it was a chain of dry cleaners, would that be racist?