When a Target distributor reached out to Erik Carnell last year about possibly placing his brand, Abprallen, in Target stores, he was thrilled. It was “the biggest opportunity of my career,” Carnell told CNN. “I was ecstatic at the thought of being able to share my stuff with an entirely new market.” The London-based Abprallen, described on its Instagram page as “art and accessories for the proud, loud, and colourful,” would go from a small startup to a brand available at a major US retailer.
The images are paired with a variety of phrases, like “Transphobia sucks” and “Gay icon.” Some are in direct conversation with specific incidents, like “Witches & wizards love trans people,” a response to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s heavily criticized comments about trans people. But one design sparked an uproar online. Hate spreads online The backlash against Carnell and Abprallen has largely centered around a design that says “Satan respects pronouns.