Brand Faces Backlash for School Shooting-Themed Sweatshirts

A fashion label made school shooting-themed sweatshirts—and now the founders are facing serious backlash.
 
The sweatshirts were revealed at a New York show where label Bstroy was showing off its Spring 2020 collection. Several of its looks involved gore and school details, including an archery sports team shirt. Models also appeared to wear fake arrows protruding from their bodies.
 
Reports say the school shootings that were referenced include Columbine High School, where 13 people were killed, Virginia Tech, where 32 people were killed, Sandy Hook Elementary School, where 26 people were killed, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 people were killed.
 
“My 14 year old fashionista nice was murdered in Parkland. She was a professional illustrator and aspiring to be clothing designer like you,” Shawn Sherlock stated on Twitter. “You should be ashamed of taking advantage of her death to make [money]. Today, I proudly wear her designs.”
 
“A clothing line making hoodies featuring school of famous school shootings with fake bullet holes punched through is peak 2019 exploitative edgy cringe culture,” Parkland survivor Cameron Kaskey tweeted.
 
The founder of the fashion brand put out a statement on Instagram reading, “Sometimes life can be painfully ironic. Like the irony of dying violently in the place you considered to be a safe, controlled environment, like school. We are reminded all the time of life’s fragility, shortness, and unpredictability yet we are also reminded of its infinite potential.”