Friday 27 May 2011

Urban Outed-fitters


that's right, urban outfitters has been oited once again for stealing designs from underground and smaller designers. this repeat performance of the retail chain has caused much controversy in the past too with issues dating right back to 2006 and, more recently, in may 2010 when underground  designers from the brooklyn flea market who noticed some of their very own designs appearing in urban outfitter stores and online!

so what has led this retail giant to conform to 'stealing' other peoples creativity? has the brand just run out of it's 'urban' steam?

it is one thing to be inspired by multi-billion fashion designers and to make similar pieces at affordable high street prices. for example it is clear to see that this season karen millen has been inspired by prada's stripes and bold colour collection, but they have still put their own spin on items through their handwritten tailoring and exclusive use of material. but for urban outfitters to downright take an underground design is just plain nasty.

if anything, they should be openingly supporting smaller design businesses by collaborating with them and selling their stock via their own website, like asos tend to do.

the brand, in my eyes, seem to thrive a little too much in controversy dating right back to 2003  where they sold a "everybody loves a jewish girl" t shirt online, much to the industry's dismay. and, more recently, another tshirt saying "eat less" which was widely patronized and passed blame to the company for provoking anorexia.

urban has been quoted as saying "we do not buy products to provoke controversy..." er course you don't!

many people have claimed they will no longer be shopping with urban outfitters and i for one do not intend to either. i encourage you to join us in supporting underground designers as opposed to big-wig fraudster retail chains like urban outfitters...



research sources:
www.fashionbite.co.uk
www.wikipedia.org
www.huffingtonpost.com

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