May 26, 2015
Lilly Pulitzer/lillypulitzer.com
Models pose wearing Lilly Pulitzer products.
Photos posted on New York Magazine's blog The Cut from inside the headquarters of clothing brand Lilly Pulitzer show a series of fat-shaming cartoons inside an employee's office.
The photo was part of a slideshow that profiled several employees of the clothing brand and the company's headquarters in King of Prussia, referred to as "The Pink Palace."
Cartoons in the photo show drawings of two women, with one reading "put it down carb face," and another reading "just another day of fat, white and hideous," adding, "you should probably just kill yourself."
The caption states the illustrations were made by an employee not pictured in the story.
The photo drew the ire of many on social media.
Hi, @Target shoppers! This is what @LillyPulitzer thinks of you. http://t.co/aSjpfUDigd pic.twitter.com/uFu2TlBiAq
— Amy Keyishian (@madfoot) May 26, 2015
Waited thirty years to sit @LillyPulitzer's table only to find out they're a bunch of mean girls? Unsubscribe.
— Jen Lancaster (@altgeldshrugged) May 26, 2015
@LillyPulitzer you should be ashamed of the employees working at your company.
— Dacia Seger (@DahseeahCgrr) May 26, 2015
Fat-shaming cartoons at Lilly Pulitzer's offices have totally pissed off the Internet http://t.co/ANYWhOgNFm pic.twitter.com/xCmaF4UGW4
— Mashable (@mashable) May 26, 2015
"Fat, white and hideous" and this is why @LillyPulitzer is so classy, great job. pic.twitter.com/cvCissfUXp
— Chicity Blonde (@chicityblonde_) May 26, 2015
Surprising a brand that caters to rich women w/ blindingly bad color schemes would fat shame. Oh wait. #LillyPulitzer pic.twitter.com/m20g0Ym1fN
— lindsey (@lemonhearted) May 26, 2015
“These illustrations were the work of one individual and were posted in her personal work area. "While we are an employer that does encourage people to decorate their own space, we are a female-dominated company and these images do not reflect our values. We apologize for any harm this may have caused.”
Lilly Pulitzer has made recent headlines, not only for its brand's launch at retailer Target selling out within minutes, but also for its lack of plus-size options for customers.
The identity of the employee who made the illustrations and whether he or she will be disciplined is still unknown.
