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John Lewis Faces Customer Backlash After Launching Unisex Clothing

John Lewis Faces Customer Backlash After Launching Unisex Clothing

The sexes debate continues...

Michael Minay

Michael Minay

It would appear that you just can't win in this world. One minute stores are being blasted for their 'sexist clothing', then, when they listen to those complaining, people still kick off.

High street, high-end, retailer John Lewis has ditched separate labels on some children's wear in a bid to help make clothes gender neutral.

John Lewis says that it consulted the campaign group Let Clothes Be Clothes before making the changes, with the team branding the changes as 'fantastic'.

They added: "We are absolutely thrilled by this announcement from John Lewis! Alongside changes coming at Clarks Shoes."

However, it's faced a backlash from some against the changes...

Instead of traditional 'boys' and 'girls' labels, the store has now moved to products been sold as 'boys and girls' or 'girls and boys'.

The move follows shops like Asda and Morrisons getting flak over their clothing labels. The latter saw customers complain about t-shirts which had labels such as 'little man, big ideas' and 'little girl, big smiles' on them.

Asda meanwhile was heavily criticised for a jumper which read 'boys will be boys' on it. Debbie Dee, the mum who spotted the product, took to Facebook and wrote how she was 'gobsmacked and raging' to see the slogan.

The labels on John Lewis items range from new-born clothes up to 14-year-olds. However, the retailer is aware of the debate it has caused.

Credit: John Lewis

Caroline Bettis, the head of childrenswear at the store, disputed whether they have taken political correctness too far.

She said: "We do not want to reinforce gender stereotypes within our John Lewis collections and instead want to provide greater choice and variety to our customers, so that the parent or child can choose what they would like to wear."

There are exceptions, on such thing like school uniforms, but there are plans to make these follow similar principles in the future; the website, too, could be updated to scrap 'boys' and 'girls' labels.

Credit: John Lewis

However, it didn't stop mixed reviews from those on social media.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: John Lewis, Clothing