Urban Outfitters has pulled a women's shirt from stores after shoppers complained that it made light of mental illness.
The $59 cropped t-shirt was printed with the word "depression" and the retailer advertised it online as "super depressing," according to the blog Bitter Wallet.
The shirt's message has sparked a firestorm on Twitter and Facebook over the last couple days, with critics calling it "vile," "disgusting," and "disgraceful."
When will urban outfitters stop making mental illnesses a fashion statement? pic.twitter.com/0Gk0ARYDyf
- Eduardo (@EndBullyinNow) January 5, 2014
Urban responded Sunday by issuing an apology on Twitter and pulling the shirt from store shelves, The Philadelphia Business Journal reported. The company had reduced the price of the shirt to $9.99 from $59 before it was removed from the website.
The teen retailer tweeted this on Sunday:
Hey everyone, we hear you and we are taking the shirt down from the site.
- Urban Outfitters (@UrbanOutfitters) January 5, 2014
Urban also tweeted that the shirt was designed by a brand called Depression.
The company came under fire two years ago for selling a shirt that featured the phrase "Eat Less." Critics said it glorified anorexia.
More recently, the retailer was forced to pull a pair of socks that offended Hindus.