Teh One Who Knocks
12-31-2015, 12:00 PM
By Emily James For Dailymail.com
Old Navy is discontinuing a set of children's shirts that appear to discourage young people from becoming artists after receiving harsh backlash from critics.
The girls' T-shirt says 'Young Aspiring Artist', but the word 'Artist' is crossed out and replaced with 'Astronaut' on one version and 'President' on another design.
Critics took to Twitter to blast Old Navy for dissuading youngsters from following their dreams and implying that being an artist is impractical and unimportant compared to other professions.
http://i.imgur.com/SQllcn9.png
One person wrote: '@OldNavy is clearly ignorant to the value of young artists in our world. You lost me.'
Another shared: 'Pretty disappointed in @OldNavy for this shirt that basically bashes the idea that being an artist is worthwhile.'
'What in the HELL @OldNavy? Don't imply that being an artist is less important to the world. You're dead WRONG,' said one critic.
Others were quick to point out the irony in the fact that Old Navy's shirts were designed by artists themselves.
'I guess @OldNavy forgot that artists design their clothes, stores, websites, and entire brand #oops,' wrote one Twitter user.
http://i.imgur.com/kEhkAiZ.png
'If being an artist is a bad profession, would you mind telling me who created this design?' asked another person.
One critic responded to the retailer's negative insinuation about artists by redesigning the T-shirts to say 'Young Aspiring Old Navy Exec', with 'Old Navy Exec' crossed out and replaced with 'Artist' one one version and 'Human' on another.
The company, which is owned by Gap Inc., which also runs Banana Republic, Intermix, and Athleta.
Old Navy has not responded to the backlash on social media, and is currently tweeting about the retailer's end-of-year sale.
However, the tees have been removed from Old Navy's website, and the company tells Daily Mail Online they are discontinuing the shirts.
http://i.imgur.com/aLdQ9G5.png
A spokesperson for Old Navy tells Daily Mail Online: 'At Old Navy we take our responsibility to our customers seriously. We would never intentionally offend anyone, and we are sorry if that has been the case.
'Our toddler tees come in a variety of designs including tees that feature ballerinas, unicorns, trucks and dinosaurs and include phrases like, “Free Spirit.” They are meant to appeal to a wide range of aspirations. With this particular tee, as a result of customer feedback, we have decided to discontinue the design and will work to remove the item from our stores.'
Last year, the retailer was criticized for debuting a new line of 'boyfriend' jeans for young girls, with some people claiming the label was sexualizing children.
In November, Target was accused of trivializing mental illness with a holiday sweater that read 'OCD: Obsessive Christmas Disorder'.
Urban Outfitters has been slammed numerous times over the past few years for its offensive graphic T-shirts, including one last year that said 'Eat Less'.
Old Navy is discontinuing a set of children's shirts that appear to discourage young people from becoming artists after receiving harsh backlash from critics.
The girls' T-shirt says 'Young Aspiring Artist', but the word 'Artist' is crossed out and replaced with 'Astronaut' on one version and 'President' on another design.
Critics took to Twitter to blast Old Navy for dissuading youngsters from following their dreams and implying that being an artist is impractical and unimportant compared to other professions.
http://i.imgur.com/SQllcn9.png
One person wrote: '@OldNavy is clearly ignorant to the value of young artists in our world. You lost me.'
Another shared: 'Pretty disappointed in @OldNavy for this shirt that basically bashes the idea that being an artist is worthwhile.'
'What in the HELL @OldNavy? Don't imply that being an artist is less important to the world. You're dead WRONG,' said one critic.
Others were quick to point out the irony in the fact that Old Navy's shirts were designed by artists themselves.
'I guess @OldNavy forgot that artists design their clothes, stores, websites, and entire brand #oops,' wrote one Twitter user.
http://i.imgur.com/kEhkAiZ.png
'If being an artist is a bad profession, would you mind telling me who created this design?' asked another person.
One critic responded to the retailer's negative insinuation about artists by redesigning the T-shirts to say 'Young Aspiring Old Navy Exec', with 'Old Navy Exec' crossed out and replaced with 'Artist' one one version and 'Human' on another.
The company, which is owned by Gap Inc., which also runs Banana Republic, Intermix, and Athleta.
Old Navy has not responded to the backlash on social media, and is currently tweeting about the retailer's end-of-year sale.
However, the tees have been removed from Old Navy's website, and the company tells Daily Mail Online they are discontinuing the shirts.
http://i.imgur.com/aLdQ9G5.png
A spokesperson for Old Navy tells Daily Mail Online: 'At Old Navy we take our responsibility to our customers seriously. We would never intentionally offend anyone, and we are sorry if that has been the case.
'Our toddler tees come in a variety of designs including tees that feature ballerinas, unicorns, trucks and dinosaurs and include phrases like, “Free Spirit.” They are meant to appeal to a wide range of aspirations. With this particular tee, as a result of customer feedback, we have decided to discontinue the design and will work to remove the item from our stores.'
Last year, the retailer was criticized for debuting a new line of 'boyfriend' jeans for young girls, with some people claiming the label was sexualizing children.
In November, Target was accused of trivializing mental illness with a holiday sweater that read 'OCD: Obsessive Christmas Disorder'.
Urban Outfitters has been slammed numerous times over the past few years for its offensive graphic T-shirts, including one last year that said 'Eat Less'.