Thursday, September 18, 2008

To boycott or Not to boycott

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Africaaaaaaa *random animal sounds*

Well, well, well, America Apparel has truly outdone themselves. For their latest attempt to be innovative, edgy, and hip, AA created a new line called "Afrika."...Yep spelled with a "k" too. The line features body suits and tights with good ol animal and tribal prints. Because thats what afriKa is all about! Tigers, zebras, elephants and girafes. Everybody walks around naked and shit, they got huts for shelter, monkeys for pets, and spheres for protection. Hell yea! And even though afriKa is composed of 53 countries and tons of various languages and cultures, we just like to squish them all into ONE category. 

Immediately when I saw the name for this line, I thought of Jamie Foxx's stand up bit about Africa. Funny stuff.

Anywho, after all of the controversy already stirring up from this Afrika line, I decided to do more research on AA. Definitely became disgusted when I read about the several sexual harassment charges owner of AA, Dov Charney , has faced. Even more disgusted when I visited the official site to be welcomed by some half naked girl "advertising" the new, skinny jean with her pant button and zipper undone, her hand firmly placed in em feeling on her cookies jar, and a nasty ass smirk on her face. Yippie, I thought. It was a slideshow to my very pleasant surprise. More sexually suggestive (or downright amateur porn) pictures passed through my computer screen, each girl looking even more underaged and drugged up then the last. I was well aware of the racy ads but gotdamn, that was just way too much.

So now I'm thinking with all this shit going on, should I still support AA? It is sweat-shop and brand free. But is that enough when the owner is sexually harassing employees and producing racially insensitive clothing lines? Where else will I find my precious v-necks in every possible color, or my cute, comfy hoodie? Welp, being that 90% of the American Apparel clothes I own were given to me, I'm not too bummed that I spent a meesly $40 bucks at that store. However, I am still contemplating whether I should continue to buy AA clothing. By wearing the bright, purple, sleeveless bodysuit, purchased or not, I am still somewhat supporting and advertising AA.

P.S. I literally just found the downtown AA warehouse this summer. It's only 2o something minutes away from my house and most of the clothes are sold for half-off. I was really planning on getting a lot shit when I got back to L.A. for winter break. This totally ruins my plans!!!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

dont know if you've seen these already:http://whattamisaid.blogspot.com/2008/09/zebras-tribal-prints-its-afrika.html

http://www.racialicious.com/2008/09/12/zebras-tribal-prints-its-afrika/#comments

http://www.feministing.com/archives/010929.html

i think the clothes are cute.im still going there.haha

Rickie said...

i saw the one on racialicious...which is one of my new fav blogs

Unknown said...

haha.i love it