The Clothing Brand The Situation Wasn't Allowed To Wear On Jersey Shore
Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino has been a trendsetter since his earliest days on the MTV series "Jersey Shore." Now a star of "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation," The Situation continues to solidify his legacy on the hit show.
Sorrentino was the face (and abs) of some of the most iconic outfits from the series, according to Insider. Who could forget the reality star's pairing of sunglasses indoors with a neck brace after a blow-up on Season 4? "Most people make the assumption that I wear trendy shades the majority of the time (often indoors) to protect my eyes from the elements," Sorrentino explained in his book "Here's The Situation" (via Today). "But in fact it's the reverse. I'm protecting the elements from the brilliance of my eyes." The reality star hilariously recreated the famous meme look for Halloween in 2020 (per PopCulture).
Between his oversized shades, graphic tees, and gaudy bling, The Situation helped put Guido fashion on the map for mainstream America, per Salon. While the "Jersey Shore" cast favored wearing certain clothing brands like Ed Hardy on the series, one popular brand wanted nothing to do with the show. In fact, Sorrentino was actually asked by this particular brand to avoid their clothes entirely.
The Situation filed a lawsuit against Abercrombie & Fitch
In the heyday of "Jersey Shore," Mike Sorrentino was asked by clothing brand Abercrombie & Fitch to not wear their clothing on the show. According to ABC News, A&F reportedly offered $10,000 to the reality star to wear any brand but theirs while filming after Sorrentino appeared in multiple episodes rocking their clothes. "We understand that the show is for entertainment purposes, but believe this association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans," the company said in a statement in 2011.
The company's negative comments about the show led "Big Daddy Sitch" to raise an eyebrow when the brand went on to seemingly parody his nickname by making graphic tees with the phrase "The Fitchuation." Sorrentino, who was selling his own Situation-themed merch, filed a lawsuit claiming that Abercrombie & Fitch had committed trademark infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, injury to business reputation and misappropriation of likeness, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The legal drama between Fitch and The Sitch ended with Sorrentino losing his suit against the company. According to THR, U.S. District Judge John O'Sullivan ruled that there was no evidence that A&F was "palming off" its product as Sorrentino's. The court also ruled that it found no discernible relationship between the word "situation" and Sorrentino's apparel or entertainment services.
Mike Sorrentino founded The Sitch Store
Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino has found success beyond his time on "Jersey Shore" after rising above his more serious legal woes over the last few years. Following an eight-month prison sentence for tax fraud, The Situation went on to marry his wife Lauren Sorrentino. The couple shares son Romeo Reign and recently celebrated their third anniversary, per People. "We are truly living a fairytale," Sorrentino wrote on Instagram in celebration of their milestone. Not only are Mr. and Mrs. Sorrentino a perfect match, they're also entrepreneurs together.
Despite his beef with Abercrombie & Fitch, Sorrentino has gone on to found his own clothing company, The Situation Store. Sorrentino's swag for sale includes graphic tees emblazoned with his many catchphrases, as well as his new life motto "The Comeback Is Always Greater Than The Setback." Sorrentino's site also houses his wife's e-commerce women's clothing store, LS x Lauren. The couple launched a baby clothing line inspired by their son's adorable nickname, Baby Sitch. The success of Sorrentino's business ventures in fashion aren't too shabby considering The Situation was almost paid by a clothing brand to ditch their leisure wear due to his public image.