Fred Perry Pulls Polo Shirt Due to Far Right Association
Adding that the label stands for “inclusivity, diversity and independence. “
Fred Perry has stopped selling one of its most recognizable polo shirts in the U.S. and Canada after it was adopted as uniform by a far right group. The move regards the Black/Yellow/Yellow twin-tipped shirt, which is frequently worn by the Proud Boys, an Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group founded in 2016.
In a powerful statement released on its web site, Fred Perry disavowed the Proud Boys and other racist, fascist and right-wing organizations. “Fred Perry does not support and is in no way affiliated with the Proud Boys. It is incredibly frustrating that this group has appropriated our Black/Yellow/Yellow twin tipped shirt and subverted our Laurel Wreath to their own ends.”
The statement continued to explain the label’s origins and values. “The Fred Perry shirt is a piece of British subcultural uniform, adopted by various groups of people who recognise their own values in what it stands for. We are proud of its lineage and what the Laurel Wreath has represented for over 65 years: inclusivity, diversity and independence.
“Despite its lineage, we have seen that the Black/Yellow/Yellow twin tipped shirt is taking on a new and very different meaning in North America as a result of its association with the Proud Boys. That association is something we must do our best to end. We therefore made the decision to stop selling the Black/Yellow/Yellow twin tipped shirt in the U.S. from September 2020, and we will not sell it there or in Canada again until we’re satisfied that its association with the Proud Boys has ended.”
Fred Perry does not support and is in no way affiliated with the Proud Boys. Read our statement here.
— Fred Perry (@fredperry) September 25, 2020
