Miss Wasted and Mr Well-hung to depart

Clothing retailer Jay Jays says it won't restock any Little Losers' T-shirts that have alcohol or sexual-related motifs.

The move late yesterday followed an outcry about the firm marketing the T-shirts carrying motifs of characters named Miss Bitch, Miss Wasted, Miss Floozy, Mr Well-hung, Mr Asshole and Mr Pimp.

Lobby group Family First said the marketing of the T-shirts was over-sexualised and Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro said the slogans desensitised children to language and ideas they might not understand.

Jay Jays initially expressed disappointment with the criticism, but then yesterday decided to remove the T-shirts from window displays in its New Zealand and Melbourne stores and not to restock the offending items.

Jason Murray, managing director of Just Group, Jay Jays' parent company, acknowledged the Little Losers range had caused concern in some sections of the community and that "it had been interpreted as contrary to the Jay Jays brand essence of youthful fun, energy, value and realism''.

While Jay Jays was a "youth fashion retailer,'' Mr Murray said the Little Losers range was not targeted at children.

"The range is only available in adult sizes and the advertising has been placed in magazines that are intended to be read by young adults,'' he said.

"This range is meant to be lighthearted and the motifs do not promote bad behaviour, do not poke fun at other people and merely mock the wearer.'' - NZP