In The Style is accused of 'cashing in' on the murder of George Floyd
In The Style is accused of ‘cashing in’ and using the murder of George Floyd to ‘pick up new customers’ after releasing a £10 charity t-shirt that shoppers claim is ‘designed to be worn by white people’
- UK online brand In The Style has received backlash over a £10 charity t-shirt
- Profits of the I Stand With You t-shirt benefit the George Floyd Memorial Fund
- Shoppers accused the brand of ‘profiteering’ from Mr Floyd’s murder
- In The Style turned off comments on Instagram after receiving criticism
In The Style has come under fire over the sale of a £10 charity t-shirt benefiting the George Floyd Memorial Fund.
The I Stand With You t-shirt, unveiled on Instagram yesterday, features a design of two hands making a heart shape with the slogan: ‘I hear you. I see you. I stand with you.’
Furious shoppers took to Instagram and Twitter to criticise the t-shirt and accused UK-based online retailer In The Style of using Mr Floyd’s murder ‘for profit’ and to ‘pick up new customers’.
The I Stand With You t-shirt, pictured, unveiled on Instagram yesterday, features a design of two hands making a heart shape with the slogan: ‘I hear you. I see you. I stand with you.’
Comments on the In The Style Instagram post were turned off but screenshots of a handful of negative posts have been circulated on Twitter. The include the two above, posted by the same user, which accuse the retailer of ‘profiting’ from the murder of George Floyd
Others argued the brand should have donated directly to the George Floyd Memorial Fund rather than ‘throwing out more unnecessary fast fashion’.
Comments on the In The Style Instagram post were turned off but screenshots of a handful of negative posts have been circulated on Twitter.
One read: Can I ask why you wouldn’t donate directly? A bigger way to make a statement than a fast-fashion tee with a stolen design would be to hire black models, work with black influencers and pay them fairly and listen to your black audience instead of deleting comments.’ The same person added: ‘Profiting off a man’s murder is “not a good look”.’
Another argued: ‘[This t-shirt] was literally created by white people, for white people. “I love you, I see you, I stand with you”… again, I am the other. The irony is just baffling. You’ve missed the mark massively on this one.’
Furious shoppers took to Instagram and Twitter to criticise the t-shirt and accused In The Style of using Mr Floyd’s murder ‘for profit’ and to ‘pick up new customers’
The criticism continued on Twitter, where one user wrote: ‘Have you seen this garbage from #Inthestyle? Looking to pick up customers off the #BLACK_LIVES_MATTER LivesMatter #GeorgeFloyd movement?’
Another posted: ‘FFS donate the funds directly #inthestyle and stop throwing out more unnecessary fast fashion into the world.’
Speaking to FEMAIL, founder and CEO Adam Frisby said he had personally donated to the George Floyd Memorial Fund and that In The Style will be ‘topping up’ the money made from the t-shirts.
He added the comments were turned off on the Instagram post to observe ‘blackout Tuesday’ and support ‘social silence’. Comments on a post shared yesterday hours after the charity t-shirt post have remained on.
In a statement Mr Frisby continued: ‘The world was outraged about the unlawful killing of George Floyd last week. This is something that has shocked and disgusted every civilised person on the planet and has pushed for a movement that extends beyond not just being non racist with a call for us to be anti racist.
Founder Adam Frisby said the comments on the Instagram post (pictured) were turned off to observe ‘blackout Tuesday’ and support ‘social silence’. Comments on a post shared yesterday hours after the charity t-shirt post have remained on
‘As a business we wanted to support the George Floyd Memorial fund. We commissioned and produced a t-shirt which at the time we make this statement has raised close to £20k already in the first few hours.
Whilst thousands of people have embraced our intention and purchased the t-shirt to support this cause, we are aware that there were also people who questioned our place to speak and raise issue with these events.
‘We hear what people have said and do not want to cause any offence or upset to anyone. The tshirts have nearly sold out and we won’t be adding anymore once these have sold through. Any constructive criticism of the brand we take on board and will strive to do more as a business to stand up for what is right.’
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