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Last Updated: Wednesday, 24 March, 2004, 12:25 GMT
Retailer in a state over incest
Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt
What not to wear in Charleston, WV
Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch has smeared West Virginia as the incest capital of the US, the state's irate governor has complained.

Bob Wise has demanded that the firm immediately remove and destroy a range of T-shirts carrying the slogan "It's all relative in West Virginia."

Mr Wise said the shirt depicted "an unfounded, negative stereotype of West Virginia".

Abercrombie, known for its "preppy" casualwear, argued the slogan was fair.

"We love West Virginia. We love California, Florida, Connecticut, Hawaii and Nebraska too," said a spokesman.

Unhappy Christmas

But the firm is no stranger to controversy.

Two years ago, it was forced to scrap a line of T-shirts after they triggered protests from Asians who complained they perpetuated racist caricatures.

It has also frequently caused anger by graphic sexual displays in its advertising, including showing Father Christmas in sadomasochistic poses with his elves.

And last year, former employees filed a lawsuit alleging that the retailer - whose image is upper-crust and Anglo-Saxon - would not hire non-white salespeople.


SEE ALSO:
US company pulls 'racist' T-shirts
19 Apr 02  |  Asia-Pacific


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