Bloomingdale's department store actually pulled a t-shirt from its fashion lineup after one journalist found herself triggered by a piece of fabric hanging on a mannequin.
Allison Kaden, who works for PIX11 in New York, according to her Twitter bio, tweeted a photo of Bloomingdale’s “Fake News” shirt at a store Monday, complaining that the item “delegitimizes hard working journalists who bring REAL news to their communties (sic).”
Hey @Bloomingdales, this isn’t funny or fashionable. It further delegitimizes hard working journalists who bring REAL news to their communties. pic.twitter.com/NedoHMAZfs
— Allison Kaden (@akadennews) February 10, 2019
Despite the complaint being absolutely ridiculous, Bloomingdale’s responded to Kaden’s tweet by saying they were immediately removing the shirt from their stores,
“Thank you for bringing this to our attention and we apologize for any offense we may have caused,’ Bloomingdale’s lamented. “We take this feedback very seriously and are working quickly to remove this t-shirt. Again, thank you for taking the time to alert us.”
Thank you for bringing this to our attention and we apologize for any offense we may have caused. We take this feedback very seriously and are working quickly to remove this t-shirt. Again, thank you for taking the time to alert us.
— Bloomingdale's (@Bloomingdales) February 11, 2019
While most Twitter users found Kaden’s initial complaint to be stupid and Bloomingdale’s “apology” totally unnecessary, at least one other media personality thought the store’s mea culpa was less than adequate, blasting Bloomingdale’s for “damag[ing] our democracy” by “perpetuating and celebrating the idea of ‘fake news.’” Baltimore Sun reporter Pamela Wood tweeted:
Hi, @bloomingdales. Apologizing "for any offense we may have caused" is not a sincere apology. This is not about journalists' hurt feelings. This is about damage done to our democracy when your brand joins in perpetuating and celebrating the idea of "fake news." Please try again.
— Pamela Wood (@pwoodreporter) February 11, 2019
Thankfully, the larger and more rational side of Twitter found the whole thing to be hilarious, petitioning the retailer to keep the shirt and even pledging to buy one.
Remove it?? Shoot...you'd better ramp up your production of that shirt because you're about to get a massive number of requests for it. This outrage never works out the way they want it to. https://t.co/mctAiguVUE
— Joseph Gonzales (@joseph11ag) February 11, 2019
I'll take 5 for the whole family
— Chris (@Chris25196352) February 12, 2019
See, this is why Bloomingdales should never have done anything. Nothing is ever enough for you people.
— ❤️ Jayvie ❤️ (@OneFineJay) February 12, 2019
I didn’t want one, now I do and I’ll buy it from a place online
— ok (@1stopSportsbets) February 12, 2019
I’ll buy 2 shirts if you make fun of them
— Cube Warrior (@CubicleWarrior_) February 12, 2019