The Forever 21 brand is chief among the under-21 market with high-street trendy fashions for cheap prices. Now the popular retailer is being questioned on the intentions behind their new maternity line.
The new line titled ‘Love 21 Maternity’ is currently available in Arizona, Alaska, California, Utah and Texas. The irony and alleged irresponsibility comes in for many critics because Arizona, Texas and California are among the top 15 states with the highest teen pregnancy rates according to the Guttmacher Institute–a non-profit that conducts reproductive and sexual research. Texas and California have the highest number of teen pregnancies.
Forever 21′s executive vice president, Larry Meyer stepped up to defend the brand’s new line in a statement. “Forever 21 did not create, design or distribute Love 21 Maternity to target, or appeal specifically to pregnant teens.” Meyer continues, “Any relationship between teen pregnancy rates and the locations of our stores is unintentional.”
According to the brand’s website, the line features maternity tops, denim, leggings, knits, dresses, basics and outerwear. The women modeling the new line have a mature look, which perhaps, further punctuates the line’s target customer.
I don’t believe that they promote teen pregnancy. Teen pregnancy clearly happened without the Forever 21 line. I think it might be a good thing so at least pregnant chicks will stop wearing clothes that are too small for them lol
Ah well.. at they’ll be a fashionable statistic?
I don’t think Forever 21 is promoting teen pregnancy. I think Forever 21 is trying to expand their target audience beyond teenagers which could explain the multiple “clothing lines” they have now. Forever 21 is a less expensive brand, so they could be trying to appeal to those who are pregnant but still want be trendy and fashionable at a reasonable cost. I agree with Ariel Cherie, maybe this will encourage pregnant women to stop wearing clothes that just don’t fit! With this new line, they don’t have an excuse!
Its debatable cause I know a lot of women that are way over 21 that shop at F21.
But I doubt they’re promoting it. A lot of young women under 21 get/are pregnant & are customers there. It’s all about the money.
clothing does not promote any form of pregnancy…thats just silly!! teens are getting pregnant everyday and that activity doesnt require any form of clothing (obviously). i think forever21 if tapping into a market that is increasing and they want that money like any other corporation. and i know grown woman that shop at forever 21 so they might be interested in this line too
Agreed.
I agree as well. Teens were pregnant well before a maternity line was introduced in forever 21. And let’s not forget that teens shop at stores geared to older women that have maternity line as well and I don’t see people falling out on those brands and stores. I think people are just looking for an excuse to why so many teens are pregnant instead of tackling the issue head on of teaching and stressing prevention and protection. And I think forever 21 does want to expand their brand to a wider group of women as oppose to teens
I do think that they’re promoting teen pregnancy if they’re dishing out this clothing line. It’s saying ” it’s ok to have a baby at that age!.” Just like Faith 21 promoting obesity.
It’s not promoting teen pregnancy. The Love 21 line is geared toward older women…the website itself tells you it has a more modest fit than the main Forever 21 line. Also, I highly doubt the owner’s of Forever 21 would even promote teen pregnancy as a passing though–they are devout Christians, hence the printing of John 3:16 on the bottom of all their bags.
The other day I walked into a Forever21 and felt old. I’m only 20. Pre-teens were shopping at the same store I was, and something was wrong about that. I needed to escape. After buying a few rings, I walked over to H&M. That felt a little more adult.
I think Forever21 is trying to change how one experiences their brand. They can’t be 21 forever. They have to mature with their demographic. Those girls are getting pregnant and now, they don’t have to search out maternity lines. It makes sense to me.
Maybe teen pregnancy is high in the states mentioned, but they have to start their market somewhere. I’m sure it is not a coincidence, but I don’t think it’s promoting teen pregnancy. Just capitalizing on it.
I’ve been shopping at Forever 21 since I was 16 and I’m now 25! They have come a long way since then and are realizing that their target audience has expanded to women, not just teens. If you ask me, it’s a smart thing that they are doing this, since they are letting the brand grow WITH the customer. Also who wants to spend mucho dinero on maternity clothes that will only be worn for a few months anyway? And as far as teen pregnancy, I could see if they were selling whips and chains and handcuffs in the accessories department, but they are far from promoting something that seems to be happening everyday anyway.
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I think the last thing on a teenager’s mind while having unprotected sex is, “I wonder if there are any cute, cheap tunic tops I’d be able to wear in case I get pregnant” nor would “Ohhhh cute maternity clothes…maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all if the condom breaks.” And vice versa, if only ugly expensive maternity clothes existed, I don’t think teenage girls would think, “OH better go to Planned Parenthood because if I get pregnant, I’d hate to have to wear ugly, expensive clothes.” No significant correlation.
I am a nineteen-year-old female who used to love Forever 21, but now, I think I was simply addicted to novelty. I never knew that a store called 21 was supposed to appeal to an immature demographic below the age of 21. The age of 21 is not a rite of passage by any stretch of my imagination. That being said, if I were a married, mature, nineteen-year-old female, would “teen pregnancy” be an inappropriate way to describe me! I think “teen pregnancy” is an affront to the dignity of the mature kid’s reproductive system!
I actually DO want to have kids of my own someday, but I disagree.
I think pregnant teens will buy the clothes, so that’s what worries me about it possibly promoting it. But then Im 21, and my friends are 23, 22..etc. All engaged and will be starting families soon, and they will most likely wear the line. We all shop at Forever 21, it doesn’t just cater to the under-21 crowd.