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Remember how college students used to care about the plight of sweatshop workers? The New Yorker does. In the 1990s, students held rallies and sit-ins to pressure their schools about the factory sourcing for apparel with college logos. In 2014, Forever 21 opens a new store concept called F21 Red where clothing retails for $4.80 per tank top, and college students line up to shop.
The New Yorker floats a few reasons why students aren't interested in picketing Forever 21. Rising student loan debt is an obvious factor for the appeal of $7.80 jeans. The labor unions who funded and trained student activist have also declined. And Forever 21 clothing can't be identified by obvious logos, the way Gap and Nike clothing could in the 1990s. The New Yorker also identifies the haul video phenomenon as social pressure to buy cheap clothes in bulk, and Forever 21 is totally on board with haul videos. The retailer has sponsored contests for the best video, offering gift cards as prizes. If camisoles are $1.80 each, think how overloaded that F21 Red haul bag would be.
· Why Students Aren't Fighting Forever 21 [New Yorker]
· Forever 21 Gets Even Cheaper With New Store F21 Red [Racked]