The controversy-generating Caitlyn Jenner costume is one of this Halloween’s most popular.
Spirit Halloween, the country’s largest Halloween retailer and a division of Spencer Gifts, is reporting that the $49.99 costume re-creating the “I Am Cait” star’s Vanity Fair cover is among the company’s top four best-selling adult costumes this year, according to Forbes.
The costume was subject to much criticism when it appeared online in August, with LGBT and transgender advocacy groups calling for the costume to be removed from store shelves.
“There’s no tasteful way to ‘celebrate’ Caitlyn Jenner or respect transgender people this way on the one night of the year when people use their most twisted imaginations to pretend to be villains and monsters,” the National Center for Transgender Equality said in a statement at the time.
Spirit Halloween defended the costume and continued to sell it, despite the backlash.
“At Spirit Halloween, we create a wide range of costumes that are often based on celebrities, public figures, heroes and superheroes,” the company said in a statement. “Caitlyn Jenner is all of the above and our Caitlyn-inspired costume reflects just that.”
Jenner has previously said that she isn’t offended by the costume. “I’m in on the joke. I don’t think it’s offensive at all,” she said in an interview with “Today” anchor Matt Lauer last month. “I think it’s great. To be honest with you, I think it’s great — except they could have a better looking outfit.”
As of Friday, Oct. 30, the costume is one of the most popular among adults, joined by Harley Quinn from the upcoming DC comics movie “Suicide Squad,” a “Twisted Clown” resembling John Carroll Lynch‘s character on “American Horror Story: Freak Show” and Day of the Dead-themed outfits.