A Swedish clothing company has launched a range of underpants in six shades to suit the skin-tones of men of all different races, claiming the apparel is a reaction to “nationalist parties” making waves in Europe.
You may not know, but today, March 21, is the United Nations’ International Day Against Racism and Discrimination, However, Sweden does.
One Swedish underwear company is using the day to publicise the launch of their new product line, a range of pants available in every conceivable shade from the lightest cream to a rich brown.
The so-called ‘Skin Collection’, explains company Björn Borg in a paid-for editorial in today’s Nyheter news-site owned fashion magazine Modette, is to fight what they consider as “the norm” of white skin.
While it is conceivable there may be a market for chocolate coloured underwear, the editorial makes it clear the pants are very much a political statement. Noting that “nude underwear is usually off-white or pinkish”, the range is “taking a stand against racism”.
Björn Borg marketing manager Jonas Lindberg Nyvang said of the pants:
“Nude is not a color; it is a concept that everyone should have the right to enjoy. We call it six shades of the human, and the reason for our launch of the UN International Day against Racial Discrimination is that the political climate in Europe has been very hard lately and we want to show where we stand. This is our contribution to the debate”.
Doubling down on that idea the piece emphasises that nude underwear for all is especially important now as a response to “nationalist parties gaining ground in Europe”, and the needs of “refugees in desperate need of a fresh start”. Although Björn Borg may have high hopes for fresh starts for migrants they presumably will not be selling them fresh underwear, as the skin-matched briefs will retail at €32.95 a pair.
Racist pants comes just months after Sweden again led the way in racially specific products in the form of coloured band aid sticking plasters.
As Breitbart London reported at the time, the nation’s largest pharmacy chain rushed to find a supplier of “dark” plasters after a a feminist, anti-racist ‘blogger’ complained about them being the wrong colour on national radio.
Leftist campaigner and Everyday Racism blog writer Paula Dahlberg said beige plasters were symptomatic of the everyday “whiteness norm”, which left a pharmacy spokesman calling the accusation “embarrassing”.