Screenshot courtesy of Sad Boys
Update [October 12, 11:20 AM]: A representative from Urban Outfitters has reached out to THUMP with a statement about the incident. "We were made aware that a jacket belonging to Sad Boys was being sold on our website and immediately pulled the product," they said. "We sincerely apologize that the jacket was mistaken for a vintage item and was posted to our site as part of our Urban Renewal Vintage and Remade program, which offers vintage products for our customers. We take intellectual property very seriously, both in protecting what has been developed by our own artists and designers and also respecting the intellectual property of others."Yung Lean's Sad Boys collective has accused Urban Outfitters of "feeding off" its designs in a post on Facebook. Referring to a bomber jacket, the Urban Renewal Vintage Surplus Yoshi City Nights Black Coach Jacket, the collective accused the youth clothing retailer of imitating their language and imagery. In the post they said: "Yoshi City belongs to us and our true fans, fuck u Urban Outfitters."There are a number of similarities between the Urban Outfitters' jacket and Sad Boys' work. "Yoshi City" is a song Yung Lean released in 2014 on his debut studio album Unknown Memory. The "2002" at the end of "Yoshi City 2002" similarly recalls the name of Lean's 2013 mixtape Unknown Death 2002. The frowning face imagery also resembles the logo on a Sad Boys hat for sale on their website.
Sad Boys told THUMP: "We don't want to blame the fans buying the bootlegged gear, but rather inform them on where to buy the official gear in order to get the true experience on what we try to express in terms of music, art and clothing (and also directly support the artist that they like)."
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The Shopperboard fashion app says the item was for sale for £55 [$60.84] when it was in stock in European Urban Outfitters stores. This is not the first time Urban Outfitters has been accused of copying designs, as it has happened multiple times over the years.Recently, Arizona noise collective Ascetic House accused Roca Wear of ripping off its desgins. Earlier this year THUMP profiled Sad Boys member Gud, and he wants to make music that's more real and less internet.Follow Alexander on Twitter.