Aussie retailer Cotton On pulls Michael Jackson clothing off shelves
Aussie clothing chain Cotton On confirms it’s no longer Michael Jackson-inspired tees and jackets in light of recent doco, Leaving Neverland.
No longer mad for MJ.
The fallout from controversial documentary Leaving Neverland continues, after Wade Robson and James Safechuck claimed they were sexually abused by pop star Michael Jackson.
In light of the four-hour doco, fans have seen Jackson’s music banned from radio and an episode in which he has a cameo on The Simpsons pulled off-air.
Now, Aussie retailer Cotton On has removed clothing items from its collection bearing Jackson’s face and name.
Related: MJ fans fight back over controversial documentary
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Related: Jackson kids consider suing Wade Robson and James Safechuck
The decision was enacted across all of its stores, with the clothing branded as “high inventory risk” in a company-wide notice.
“In light of recent events, we have made the ethical decision to remove all Michael Jackson product from our stores and online, effective today,” read the memo.
The voluntary withdrawal was carried out by 4pm Wednesday, after which the clothing that was deemed “not in line with Cotton On Group’s core values” were no longer listed online.
“The decisions we make about the products we sell are informed by global trends and knowing what our customer loves,” read the company statement.
News.com.au reached out to the Cotton On Group for comment.
“I can confirm that Michael Jackson product is no longer available from Cotton On stores (globally),” said Antoinette Marshall, Cotton On’s Corporate Affairs Manager.
“We have nothing further to add.”
Some customers have taken to social media to air their disappointment over the decision.
“Shame on you for pulling this range from store,” posted one commenter.
“#MJinnocent,” added another.
“PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE restock this! I NEED THIS JACKET! There is WAY MORE DEMAND for MJ merch than big companies realise, and it sucks when major fans like myself are missing out! Please see that there is a demand and make more mj merch available,” one commenter pleaded on an Instagram post.
It’s unclear whether customer complaints have prompted the recall, or whether the company launched a pre-emptive strike.
Regardless, not all employees agree with the move.
“I understand why they recalled all the MJ stuff, because they don’t want a bad rep and Millennials attacking them on Twitter,” one Cotton On staffer told news.com.au.
“But this whole scandal with MJ has been going on for years. It’s not like it’s new.
“If they were worried about what people would think, they shouldn’t [have] put out the Michael Jackson shirts and jackets in the first place (knowing his past history).
“They should have put it on sale like Kylie [Jenner] did with the Jordyn collection,” the staffer added.
The documentary has been at the centre of controversy since it aired.
Not only did it shake the Jackson fandom to its core, but triggered former staff members to break their silence a decade after the King of Pop’s death.
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