British clothing designer Fred Perry has stopped selling one of its most iconic tops after it became associated with a far-right organisation, the Proud Boys.
The clothing brand took to its website to release a statement, writing: “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 Proud Boys is an all-male far-right group in North America with a history of promoting political violence and misogynistic views. In 2018, the FBI described the organisation as an extremist group while the Southern Poverty Law Centre listed it as a hate group.
In the statement, Fred Perry acknowledge that its Black/Yellow/Yellow twin tipped shirt is “taking on a new and very different meaning in North America” after being worn by many members in the neo-fascist group.
The company added that it will no longer be selling it’s Black/Yellow/Yellow twin tipped shirt in the U.S or in Canada until it’s “satisfied that its association with the Proud Boys has ended.”
“To be absolutely clear, if you see any Proud Boys materials or products featuring our Laurel Wreath or any Black/Yellow/Yellow related items, they have absolutely nothing to do with us,” Fred Perry wrote “and we are working with our lawyers to pursue any unlawful use of our brand.”