Urban Outfitters

History

In the 1970s, Scott Belair & Dick Hayne opened a store and called it Free People in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As the store eventually grew from one to two storefronts, the name was changed from Free People to Urban Outfitters.

In 2007, the company received the National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the Urban Outfitters Corporate Office Campus located on the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

In 2011, it agreed to sell limited editions of Polaroid ONE600 instant cameras and Type 779 instant film in partnership with the Austrian entrepreneur Florian Kaps, who acquired the rights to manufacture 700 copies of the defunct product. In January 2013, it hired the Abraham & Roetzel lobbying firm, led by former Republican Sen. Spencer Abraham, to advocate on its behalf in Washington, D.C., regarding retail industry policy.

In Q4 2015, the company announced plans to acquire the Vetri Family, a Philadelphia restaurant group. As the company was facing declining same store sales and foot traffic, the acquisition illustrated the retailer's shift in strategy. This includes restaurants Amis Trattoria, Bar Amis, and Pizzeria Vetri. There are two Pizzeria Vetri locations in Philadelphia, with other locations in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, Devon, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

In 2019, the company drew attention by announcing the sale of used VHS tapes for $40. In the same year, Urban Outfitters launched Nuuly, a subscription clothing rental service. Following that, the company launched Nuuly Thrift, a resale platform for buying and selling women's, men's and kids’ apparel and accessories from URBN labels and other brands.

As of 2020, Urban Outfitters does not publicly disclose which factories produce the brand's clothing. It also has no human resources department.

In December 2022, Urban Outfitters announced the departure of its president, Francis Pierrel, from the company.

Criticism

Urban Outfitters' products have also been the subject of multiple complaints and criticism, largely from religious, ethical, and ethnic pressure groups including a local chapter of the NAACP,{{cite news| title = Black leaders outraged at 'Ghettopoly' game at Urban Outfitters | access-date=May 27, 2010}} Anti-Defamation League and Navajo Nation for some of their products.

In January 2007, URBN stopped selling keffiyehs after Jewish blogging site Jewschool called out the company for describing the item as an "anti-war woven scarf".

Labor practices

On November 27, 2009, URBN drew the attention of the Swedish press for denying collective bargaining rights to employees at their Stockholm store by making all 38 workers redundant and re-hiring them through employment agency Academic Work. In response to the move, ombudsman Jimmy Ekman called for tougher laws to prevent other firms denying collective bargaining rights in this way.

In 2019, a former executive of Chinese descent with 40 years at the company sued it for ethnic and age-based discrimination.

In 2021, the company only received a score of 11–20% in the Fashion Transparency Index. There is also no evidence of Urban Outfitters ensuring the paying of living wages to their employees.

References

References

1. (June 25, 2020). "URBAN OUTFITTERS INC 2019 Annual Report Form (10-K)". United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
2. "Urban Outfitters form def 14A".
3. (April 12, 2019). "Asian Urban Outfitters Exec: Millennial Staffers Called Me "Mr. Miyagi"".
4. Hughes, Huw. (May 31, 2019). "Urban Outfitters picks Warsaw for first Central European store".
5. "History".
6. "urbn-10k_20190131.htm".
7. "Our Story".
8. "NTHP Presents Honor Award To Urban Outfitters Corporate Office Campus". National Trust.
9. Karen von Hahn, "Mama, don't take my Polaroid away", ''Globe and Mail'', page L3, September 5, 2009
10. Levinthal, Dave. (29 January 2013). "Influence chic: Urban Outfitters bags K Street help".
11. Elliot, Peter. (July 20, 2016). "This Is the Reason Urban Outfitters Bought a Pizza Chain". [[Bloomberg News]].
12. Deen, Khyle. (20 February 2019). "Urban Outfitters launch random, used VHS sets for $40 > Movie News > Movies | Purple Revolver".
13. Edelson, Sharon. (24 August 2021). "After A Successful 2019 Rental Service Launch, Urban Outfitters Is Diving Into Resale With Nuuly". Forbes.
14. (May 2, 2018). "When Clothing Labels Are a Matter of Life or Death". The Daily Beast.
15. (2 Dec 2022). "Personnel Changes".
16. Ell, Kellie. (2022-12-02). "Urban Outfitters Brand President Francis Pierrel Exits".
17. [http://www.sptimes.com/2003/10/04/Tampabay/Game_s_street_theme_u.shtml "Game's street theme upsets NAACP"] — ''St. Petersburg Times''
18. (January 9, 2004). "Urban Outfitters Discontinues Offensive T-Shirt".
19. Kim, Kibum. (11 February 2007). "Where Some See Fashion, Others See Politics".
20. Catarina Håkansson. (November 27, 2009). "Sparkas efter krav på kollektivavtal". Aftonbladet.
21. Jesper Stärn. (November 27, 2009). "Sparkas efter krav på kollektivavtal".
22. (November 27, 2009). "Antingen skriver man på eller blir uppsagd". Svenska Dagbladet, By [[Negra Efendić]], November 27, 2010.
23. (September 6, 2022). "How Ethical Is Urban Outfitters?".