Abercrombie & Fitch has developed themselves into a household name in the fashion industry with their sexy lifestyle-sque advertisement photography and affordable clothing. However, a recent discovery shows that A&F no longer carries XL or XXL sized womens clothing in their stores. The reason for this is because they want “thin and beautiful customers” and that “fat chicks will just never be a part of the 'in' crowd.”
Robin Lewis, author of The New Rules of Retail says that Abercrombie’s attitude stems from CEO Mike Jeffries opinions on the matter.
“He doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people,” Lewis said. “He doesn't want his core customers to see people who aren't as hot as them wearing his clothing. People who wear his clothing should feel like they're one of the ‘cool kids.’”
Back in 2006, Jeffries went on record in an interview with Salon, admitting they only hire ‘good looking people’ --
“It’s almost everything. That’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don't market to anyone other than that,” he said.
“In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids,” he told the site. “Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely. Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla. You don't alienate anybody, but you don’t excite anybody, either,” he told Salon.
At this time, Abercrombie’s biggest competitors American Eagle and H&M offer both XXL sizes for both men and women.
So is this delusioned idea stemmed from the modeling industry? Advertising agencies have gotten flak for years on their underweight model obsession, and have virtually ignored the issue. Is it only a matter of time before the fashion industry expects the same weight from their client as they do from their models?
[Via EliteDaily]
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Simply astounding that so many people are feigning that they didn't know this about AF. It is how they have marketed for a decade or two. It is how they brand themselves. Now everyone is all bothered because the douchebag owner said it outloud.
Are these the same people who think Katy Perry and Beyonce got their contracts because they were great singers? Do you really think that all great singers have perky boobs and great legs? Every young person show on TV is filled with 'hott' actors and actresses.
If AF offends, and it should, why does Hollywood, the TV industry and cable 'news' get a pass?
Because they don't come right out and say it? Really?
Just freaking amazing to me.
Awaiting the firestorm over skinny models in fashion magazines... yeah... that's so!!!
Wait... they have been self-identifying for decades as well.
And no stories or viral complaints?
Fuck - pop culture sucks so bad.
I have to side with him on knowing how to market a product and do it well. I can think of many clothing companies that do the same thing and to be honest I dont see anything wrong with it. The reason these companies have to make XXL clothing and even sizes larger than that is because people complain. Now I understand that there are people who wear XXL clothes who do so because of muscle or being very tall, but the market of people that are complaining for XXXL sizes and up made themselves this way and want everyone to cater to them. I think clothing companies have every right to refuse to make sizes like that. It would be like me complaining to RED that they dont make camera's that fit my budget, go out get a bigger budget! Dont just complain that the company does not cater to your lifestyle.
No one has even mentioned XXXL... In high school I had a large chest and was thin and in their targeted audience... but, because of my large chest I had to buy all of my juniors tops in XL (not that I would've bought from them anyways). Having XL or even XXL is not out of regular, even in a thin society.
Several perspectives, opinions, styles, and cultures must be allowed to exist at the same time. While I understand those who disagree with his statements, I understand those who agree with them as well. A multitude of views is what life is all about. Development and art comes from conflict. As much as I may resent the ideals of "surface beauty wins", it has to win in some arenas. There is no such thing as "politically incorrect" or "poltically correct" there is just "politically" and it reflects the many shades, nuances and differences of people.
Ditto on the smell. Ick!
finally, some honesty.
I'd love to see Adele ask to be there spokes person!!! HAHA
Famous, awesome and fashionable.
A&F cases closed.
I Never have bought anything or shopped in that place before, and of course would never now go in there. That is just Wrong. woman who wear size XL XXL or whatever size is just a Beautiful as a skinny woman. God made us All Beautiful in our own way. This guy is Crap on the bottom of my shoe I hope this hurts his business he Deserves and the Some. I'm not skinny of course I am just about to have my 3rd child but still.
"God", riiiight... personally I think it's the easter bunny, no wait... it's Batman.
Ironic that they employ a plus-sized photographer (no offense to him) for their entire campaign.
What a puke!!!
I'd give him this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdeBp8J0rqs
I will never purchase anything from that store again-this is outrageous! His salary must go to his head, but his words are as worthless as he is.
A guess a positive thing that may come out all this is that maybe it will influence some people who are overweight to exercise more and eat healthier.
It's funny.. cause he wants beautiful people in his stores.. and.. he's fugly! did he get lip injections?!
Have you guys seen Mike Jeffries? He isn't "beautiful", so can he go into his own stories?
I can appreciate the idea of trying to view this from another angle, but I think most of us agree this guy is a jerk. The "at least he's honest" comment means you're saying it's worth overlooking this guy's "douchebaggery" (as it was so eloquently stated) and his contribution to an even greater problem in this and many countries.
In essence, he is basically saying that money is more important than respecting certain people groups. As honest as that is, it's just not respectable or defensible. If I were to walk up to someone and tell them I am going to punch them in the face just before following through with it, I don't think anyone would be defending me because I was honest.
Don't get me wrong - I know companies make these business decisions all the time, but to come out and just say you exclude people based on how they look is totally unAmerican and not helpful to people in a country who has struggled with excluding people in the past based on physical attributes. The almighty dollar is not a reason to be a jerk.
Great site guys. Good articles and conversation. Thanks.
If I start a club and decide that it is a club for people with long hair, how is that in any way "douchbaggery"? I decide who gets to be in that club, because it is mine. If you have short hair and feel left out, then start your own club. Punching people in the face because you disagree with them seem like a less than intelligent way to deal with differences to be honest.
Clubs for people with long hair really don't have as much of an impact on girls and women in our society. Nice try on trying to make an intelligent comparison though.
Most people agree this guy is being a jerk - even the moderator who is trying to keep the conversation going. You are one of very few people who don't see that.
Oh, and your thinking I was talking about punching people in the face because I disagree with them... wow. I didn't think anyone could take what I wrote and screw it up so much.
Shame on me for even replying to you. I'm pretty sure you can't quite grasp most of what I'm typing.
Holy fack. This is outrageously offensive. Never. Stepping. Foot. In. That. Store. Again. Plus, their clothes are hideous.
Anyone that gets upset with this doesn't realize that every single corporation does this in some fashion. No pun intended. He was foolish to state it out loud.
From a purely marketing standpoint (which I have a Masters in), he's spot on. He will certainly catch political flak for making these statements publicly, although to be fair, they were probably taken out of context to make him seem more monstrous.
As to marketing to all audiences, that simply doesn't create the best, most refined products. That jack of all trades approach may work for the Targets and Walmarts of the world, but rarely on niche markets. Much like he said, as soon as they dilute their audience/image by embracing and marketing to everyone, they lose their core demographic/income source and trade it for another.
Might he make more by targeting everyone? Possibly for a short time, and they'll flare up, but find themselves stagnating shortly after once the world grows bored. Exclusivity helps lengthen the life cycle of a product, simply put.
Sadly enough I'm sure everyone that can stretch one of their over priced cheap tee shirts over their bodies are buying them so they feel like they are one of the beautiful people...Personality is the main core of beauty and how you carry yourself through life...no matter the size, shape or amount of hair...I guess that would make Mike Jefferies one of the ugliest people on earth...I have 5 grown children and 13 grandchildren and I have never and would never buy their clothing, not once...but that is because I've always felt the were over priced for what they offered.
yeah. That's EXACTLY why I refuse to patronize that store. Their elitist attitude makes me sick. It offends me that only skinny blondes work in that place. You walk in there and don't feel cool enough to be in there. That, and its too dark in the store to see what color the clothes even are. LAME. A&F represent everything that is wrong with the "you'll never be good enough" philosophy that is attatched to especially the fashion industry but also the corporate advertising that is shoved down our throats by the media
http://3acef472ce67bde310cf-07f910c1d0e2016536f5b25f3d4975da.r62.cf1.rac...
Wow! How much plastic surgery does it take to look like that?
My favorite quote from him though is how they want the "attractive all-American kid with a great attitude". Apparently he and I have different opinion on what a "great attitude" is.
I want to grab about 50 larger people and spend a few hours "browsing" A&F. Lets make 'em feel a bit uncomfortable. >:3
I hope his clothes are also made by ' thin and beautiful' people.
their Eaton Centre location is disgusting, tacky and just plain awful. It felt like walking around a poorly lit nightclub, with overly loud techno playing and awful floor design allowing little room to walk around. Also the combination of teen B.O and too much cologne made the smell quite unpleasant...Oh and their clothes suck...the end
Its understandable, Its all about marketing and branding, Sex sells plan and simple.! I'm a big guy and I take no offence by it.... If you want to wear those types of cloths get off your ass and do something about it
Thought this was perfect. =)
So do we get rid of the Big and Tall stores too?
Obviously it's very mean.... but dammit it makes sense. I remember what high school was like. I remember that the "cool kids" always dressed in nice clothes (while I wore thrift store stuff). And frankly it would make any brand seem less "cool" if everyone wore it. It's sort of genius.
In a free country, a man can choose to run his business how ever he sees fit within legal parameters. I don't get why that is hard to understand.
And he is ugly bone stone cold ugly. He couldn't be a cool kid. He's just pretending. He wouldn't be allowed in his own store.....
People still buy this line of crappy clothing? Well, straight ones don't do they?
Who cares what this jackass says. His clothes suck anyway. What a douche! He should look in the mirror.
See, and that's exactly the reason why I don't shop there and have always hated their branding. I was in the middle of their target market in HS, but I couldn't stand their "we're cooler than you and we know it" branding. It was the perfect blend of stuffy pretentiousness and über-superficial Hollywood wannabe.
Most people don't like to feel like everyone thinks that they think they're hot stuff...
"Pretend, for one moment, that instead of fat chicks, unattractive people or “not-so-cool” kids Mr. Jeffries had said “African Americans” or “homosexuals” or “single moms.”
This article is GOOD>>>>>>>>>>> http://writehuman.com/dearmike/
So is he athletic and beautiful????? I feel sorry for any female relatives of his, he must disown them if they gain a few pounds.
So, the parents of these skinny hip kids who are the target audience for their wares are (usually) not stick thin, having gone through childbirth and a penchant for chocolate. I know I'm not svelte at a size 18. I do, on the other hand, wield the wallet and when it comes to A&F/Hollister, my pound stays in my pocket and I take my kids elsewhere for their apparel.
What white-washed boring mother fucker is excited by anything Abercrombie and Fitch is doing? This dude is delusional.
That's exactly the point everyone here seems to be missing. It's not about how they are advertising; it's about the fact that they're creating segregation and putting themselves on top. Sheer arrogance.
What is the name of the model in the pic at the top of this article
Their clothes remind me of a fancy Old Navy. All the same crap in the end.
Oh and it's hilarious how much Koreans rip their crap off. "Fitch" knockoffs all up and down the streets of Korea.