Corporations are in the business of making money, which means their styles may not be as authentically hip as they would have you believe, yadda yadda yadda, you know this drill. Hipster Walmart Urban Outfitters has been particularly stonewashed with controversy all year: accusations of stealing Etsy artisans’ work, getting busted jacking up prices for simple art, perpetuating the idea that a $70 T shirt is acceptable, among others. Now the company’s co-founder and chairman Richard Hayne is taking heat from Jezebel for giving donations to everyone’s favorite Google bomb, Rick Santorum, causing Miley Cyrus to tweet: “every time you give them money you help finance a campaign against gay equality.” We don’t get political here at Brokelyn, but we just think you should know where your money is going. It’s not to keep these shirts on the shelves, fyi.
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I applaud this rich jerk for his convictions. He could give his money to ANY Republican candidate, because they all believe the business of America is business. Instead, he decided that Americans are too used to things like buying condoms and gay pride parades and movie characters that encourage your kids to back-sass, so he gave his money to the candidate most confused and enraged about the modern world.
I agree that people should be aware that the Urban Outfitters “style” goes against what one’s perceived notions might be about the company’s politics. However, almost every time it’s brought up, I feel like people miss the bigger picture. Urban Outfitters isn’t the only corporation that does this. If people are serious about boycotting on a political basis, they should research other stores they frequent as well, instead of treating Urban Outfitters like it’s outside the norm.
True… to many other corporations get a pass. People either don’t know what their political stance is, don’t care to find out, or simply forget after the initial outrage after heard some troubling news…
Remember the Domino’s boycott not long ago because they were caught being a major backer to the anti-abortion pro-women’s sexual health rights groups?
Or when California was first trying to pass the gay marriage right bill in 2008, it was discovered the backer against this effort was no other than Whole Foods darling fresh juice company Bolthouse Farms?
What about Go Daddy’s CEO Bob Parsons arrogantly defending his shooting African elephants on the defense it’s to ‘help those poor villagers who’s food/crops are being destroyed by their raids’? When elephants raid it’s a serious sign the social balance is out of whack. Culling elephants is never the right answer- and if he’s so interested a tiny portion of his money could go far in remedying this villages specific problems. Getting off on slaughtering a unsuspecting, defenseless elephants in the dark (bragging about it later, even posting a YouTube video showing the act) he proved to be a typical cowardly poacher who painted himself a hero.
What about the American Apparel douche Dov Charney who built a (dying) mini-empire on sexually exploiting women with his tacky 70’s porn imagery,made mexican sweatshop labor seem hip, and not surprisingly in fact has been accused of sexual assault?
I could go on… every company has a story it seems. When in doubt, buy small and independent, or just do a bit of research. Every dollar makes them powerful, so the balance of power depends entirely on the consumer, not the company. NO ONE forces you to buy anything.
Old, old, OLD news. This company and its founders have been boho Republican Santorum Donators since he first became senator, so 12+ years ago.
screw that no more urban…wait i dunno if i really was a shopper there anyhow
Wow you people are embarrassing, this is the same garbage article recycled over and over again. Jezebel would not post my article because they don’t like looking stupid either. Here is an excerpt:
“Next, the issue of Hayne contributing a measly amount of money to Santorum. So Hayne contributed money to Santorum (they both live very close to each other) in 2003, in 2007 he promotes an openly gay Senk to CEO. You don’t have to follow chronology if you don’t want to I suppose, but your point of trying to imply that contention might exist between these two because of this is ludicrous. More than likely at a neighborhood fundraiser Hayne or Hayne’s secretary was approached by a Santorum aide or any Republican fundraiser and was solicited to contribute, which he probably did without thinking twice for the measly sum of $13,150. Let me guess, you agree with every single viewpoint of the candidate whom you vote for all the time huh? Or maybe you don’t vote. To suggest Hayne has any issue with gay people is borderline defamation.”
a $70 t-shirt is still perfectly acceptable!!!