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Style

Revolve Just Released a Fat-Shaming Sweatshirt & People Are Rightfully Pissed

Felicity Warner

The popular clothing brand Revolve has recently released a controversial collection in partnership with fashion brand LPA and people are not OK with it. The set of sweatshirts —including one that reads “Being fat is not beautiful, it’s an excuse” — has been called out for promoting fat-shaming. The collection, which has only been up on the website since Wednesday morning, is understandably sparking outrage from celebs and fans of the retailer alike.

Several social media influencers and body-positive advocates, including Tess Holliday and Felicity Hayward, have expressed their thoughts on this collaboration via Twitter:

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

For months I’ve been working on a collaboration with LPA through parent company @revolve – sweatshirts that highlight quotes from prominent women who have experienced internet trolling & abuse. This is a cause very close to my heart and the proceeds were meant to benefit charities that help young women by empowering them to express themselves through writing and art. Without consulting me or any of the women involved, @revolve presented the sweatshirts on thin white women, never thinking about the fact that difference and individuality is what gets you punished on the Internet, or that lack of diversity in representation is a huge part of the problem (in fact, the problem itself.) As a result, I cannot support this collaboration or lend my name to it in any way. I am deeply disappointed in @revolve’s handling of a sensitive topic and a collaboration rooted in reclaiming the words of internet trolls to celebrate the beauty in diversity and bodies and experiences that aren’t the industry norm. *** I’d like to especially extend my love and support to @palomija, whose quote was the first to be promoted and mangled. She’s a hero of mine. Like me, she gave her quote in good faith and shared her vulnerability in order to support arts education and to spread her message of empowerment, and she wasn’t consulted in the marketing. Not an ounce of negativity should be sent her way. *** My only goal on this planet is to empower women through art and dialogue. I’m grateful to every woman who shared a quote and so disappointed that our words were not honored. As a result, I will be making a donation to the charity of every woman’s choice who was wronged with me and I hope that @revolve will join me with a contribution of their own. *** P.S. This Rubens painting makes me happy because it’s about women joining in love, but he didn’t recognize diversity at all- he just loved curvy butts. Problematic fave.

A post shared by Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) on

 

Revolve has since removed the collection from the website and apologized for it’s “premature release” on the website, according to HuffPost. A spokesperson also told HuffPost that their original intention to donate $20,000 to the charity Girls Write Now will still be upheld despite the collection being taken down. We understand the sentiment of the collection’s message, but the execution missed the mark big time. Our question is would the collection even succeed or avoid criticism if it was “executed properly”? 

Felicity was previously the Style Editor for Her Campus Media. Felicity graduated in May of 2018 from Florida State University with a double major in Editing, Writing, & Media and Media/Communication Studies. Before joining the team full-time, Felicity was a staff writer, content editor, the managing editor, and the campus correspondent throughout her four years at the FSU chapter. She has interned with Better Homes & Gardens, Sarasota Magazine, and Sachs Media Group during her college career. In her spare time, Felicity likes to explore new coffee shops, go to any local concert, or hunt for new finds at her favorite thrift stores. Felicity was previously the Style Editor for Her Campus Media. Felicity graduated in May of 2018 from Florida State University with a double major in Editing, Writing, & Media and Media/Communication Studies. Before joining the team full-time, Felicity was a staff writer, content editor, the managing editor, and the campus correspondent throughout her four years at the FSU chapter. She has interned with Better Homes & Gardens, Sarasota Magazine, and Sachs Media Group during her college career. In her spare time, Felicity likes to explore new coffee shops, go to any local concert, or hunt for new finds at her favorite thrift stores.