Over the last few days, yet another racist twitter eruption has ensued over a Fred Perry adverts which shows four non-white men modelling the brands iconic polo shirts. One twitter user exclaimed “It seems I’m no longer required as a customer” as others began to pile in with claims of being discriminated against for being white, “reverse racism” and as one user accused the brand of “now getting in on the diversity bollocks.”
It’s worth pointing out that Fred Perry, a staple within British Subculture, are not “now getting in on the diversity bollocks” at all, because they’ve always been absolutely synonymous with diversity. This ridiculous outburst from right-wing trolls displays a shocking level of ignorance and irony. Considering that Fred Perry’s injection into British subculture, through the Mods, Northern Soul scene, Rude Boys and Skinheads, was born out of Black & White kids mixing and sharing style and developing unique cultures together. From pounding rhythms of African-American soul music at Wigan Casino, to the Jamaican Rocksteady beats of the Trojan Skinheads, Fred Perry polo shirts are the epitome of racial solidarity.
The inevitable corruption of this staunchly diverse working class imagery by fascist groups has clearly influenced the climate of rage on the subject, yet their foolish ranting only signifies their betrayal of the British working class subcultures they claim to be a part of.
Claims by these twitter trolls that “Fred Perry are Anti-White” only reveal that these charlatans are actually anti-working class or more specifically anti a unified working class.
