Abercrombie & Fitch
Encyclopedia
Abercrombie & Fitch is an American retailer that focuses on casual wear for consumers aged 18 to 22. It has over 300 locations in the United States, and is expanding internationally.
The company also operates three offshoot brands: abercrombie
(childrenswear), Hollister Co.
, and Gilly Hicks
. The company operated a post-collegiate brand, Ruehl No.925, that closed in early 2010.
borough
of New York City
, New York
, by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra H. Fitch, the original Abercrombie & Fitch was an elite outfitter of sporting and excursion goods, particularly noted for its expensive shotguns, fishing rods, and tents. In 1976, Abercrombie & Fitch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
, finally closing its flagship Manhattan store in 1977.
The name was revived shortly thereafter, when in 1978–79, Oshman's Sporting Goods
, a Houston-based chain, bought the defunct firm's name and mailing list. Oshman's relaunched A&F as a mail-order retailer specializing in hunting wear and novelty items. It also opened shops in Beverly Hills, Dallas, and (by the mid-1980s) New York City. Finally, in 1988, Oshman's sold the company name and operations to The Limited
, a clothing-chain operator based in Columbus, Ohio.
The current version of A&F sells mostly clothes instead of pith helmets or elephant guns, and describes its retailing niche as an aspirational "Casual Luxury" lifestyle brand
.
Especially since 1997, the company has consistently kept a high-profile in the public eye, due to its advertising, its philanthropy, and its involvement in legal conflicts over branding, clothing style and employment practices. The company has been accused of promoting the sexualization of pre-teen girls by marketing thongs to 10-year-olds and padded bikini tops to 7-year-olds.
as well as a few smaller brands. In 2010, Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister reported sales of $2.97 billion, $3.037 billion and $298.2 million Aéropostale generated $2.4 billion in net sales respectively. Old Navy reported sales of $5.37 billion within the same time period. Aéropostale's younger brand, P.S. from Aéropostale, competes with brands such as A&F's younger subsidiary abercrombie
and American Eagle's 77kids.
, Ohio. The Home Office is designed as a campus of sorts, and is referred to as such. The company's merchandise-distribution centers
(1 million square feet) are located exclusively on campus to help ensure brand protection. Also on campus are mock-up stores, one for each of the company's brands, where store layout, merchandise and atmosphere are determined.
The company also has a European office in Milan
, Italy
.
, the following were key corporate officials:
may now wear any no-logo clothing as long as it corresponds with the season. The California settlement also provided $2.2 million to reimburse former employees for their forced purchases of company-branded clothing. An "Impact Team" was created in 2004 to control merchandise within each store and maintain company standards; "visual managers" are responsible for forms, lighting, photo marketing, fragrance presentations and to ensure models comply with the "look policy".
Lawsuits have been filed against the company due to alleged discriminatory employment practices. In 2004, in Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores
(see "Legal issues" and "Controversy and Criticism" below), the company was sued for giving desirable positions to white applicants, to the exclusion of minorities.
of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
granted final approval to a settlement of Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch. The settlement requires the company to pay $40 million to several thousand minority and female plaintiffs who charged the company with discrimination. The settlement also requires the company to institute a range of policies and programs to promote diversity among its workforce and to prevent discrimination based on race or gender. The consent decree
governs the recruitment, hiring, job assignment, training, and promotion of Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, and abercrombie kids employees. A monitor will regularly evaluate and report on the company's compliance with the provisions of the consent decree. These provisions include:
A&F is known for its racy marketing photography by Bruce Weber
. It is rendered to grayscale
and features outdoor settings, usually with semi-nude males and females. A&F casts only store employees for marketing campaigns. Casting directors from the home office travel to key A&F regional stores in the United States and to London to hold "casting calls" for employees aspiring to become the next "A&F New Face". The company promotes its casting sessions, models, and photo shoots in the "A&F Casting" feature online at abercrombie.com. The website also provides a gallery of current photography. Framed copies at A&F stores will sometimes name the model and store.
The Abercrombie & Fitch brand image is heavily promoted as an international near-luxury lifestyle concept
. The company began cultivating an upscale image after the 2005 opening of its Fifth Avenue flagship store alongside Prada
and other upscale retailers. Having for years used high-grade materials in the construction of its merchandise and priced them at "near-luxury" levels, the trademark Casual Luxury was introduced as a fictional dictionary term with multiple definitions such as "[using] the finest cashmere
, pima cottons, and highest quality leather to create the ultimate in casual, body conscious clothing," and "implementing and/or incorporating time honored machinery ...to produce the most exclusive denim..." This upscale image has allowed A&F to open stores in international high-end locations and further promote the image by pricing its merchandise at almost double the American prices.
Overall, CEO Jeffries calls the A&F image a "movie" because of the "fantasy" that plays out instore. Even some of the clothing is given "story": "You buy into the emotional experience of a movie," Jeffries explains, "And that's what we're creating. Here I am walking into a movie, and I say, 'What's going to be [at] the box office today?'"
Women's Wear Daily
calls Abercrombie & Fitch clothing classically "neo-preppy", with an "edgy tone and imagery".
The company's fashions have a reputation for luxury, with the majority of designs trend-driven. There is heavy promotion of "Premium Jeans". In early 2010, the company introduced a leather handbag collection inspired by designs from Ruehl.
Its prices are recognized as the highest in the youth-clothing industry. Internationally, prices are almost double those in its American stores. Retail analyst Chris Boring warns that the company's brands are a "little more susceptible" should recession hit, because their specialties are premium-priced goods rather than necessities. Indeed, as the late-2000s recession continues, A&F has noticeably suffered financially for its refusal to lower prices or offer discounts. A&F argues that doing so would "cheapen" its near-luxury image. Analyst Bruce Watson warns that A&F risks finding itself transformed into "a cautionary tale of a store that was left by the wayside when it declined to change with the times". A&F's year-to-year revenue, a key indicator of a retailer's health, rose 13% in September 2010, aided by strong international sales.
Abercrombie & Fitch carries men's fragrances Fierce
, Cologne 41,Colden, and have re-branded the original cologne Woods (Christmas Floorset 2010). Women's fragrances include 8, Perfume 41, Wakely, and Classic. Fierce and 8 are the most heavily marketed fragrances, as they are the signature scents of the brand overall.
The company also offers the Abercrombie & Fitch Credit Card, issued by the World Financial Network National Bank.
ing of Abercrombie & Fitch goods, in 2006 the company launched a brand protection program to combat the problem worldwide (focusing more on China, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea) by working with legal forces globally. The program is headed by a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent who was part of the FBI's Intellectual Property Rights program, and covers all A&F brands. A&F says that the program "will improve current practices and strategies by focusing on eliminating the supply of illicit Abercrombie & Fitch products." The company encourages customers to purchase from authentic stores and to report suspected A&F counterfeiting.
In August 2011, A&F offered Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and other cast members of the MTV reality show Jersey Shore
a "substantial payment" if they stopped wearing Abercrombie-branded clothes, stating "We are deeply concerned that Mr. Sorrentino's association with our brand could cause significant damage to our image." In November 2011, Sorrentino filed a lawsuit against A&F after the company violated his copyrights in making shirts that said "The Fitchuation" and "GTL...You Know The Deal."
The exterior of the modern store design features white molding and black louvers. The currently featured marketing image directly faces the entrance. The interior is lit with dim ceiling lights and spot lighting. Electronic dance music
meant to create an upbeat atmosphere may be played at sound levels as high as 90 decibel
s, exceeding the corporate policy of 80 decibels and comparable to heavy construction machinery and harmful to the ears.
The company operates 1,073 stores across all four brands. The A&F brand has 316 locations in the United States, four in Canada, one in London, one in Milan, one in Tokyo, one in Copenhagen, one in Madrid (opening Summer 2011), one in Paris (May 2011), one in Brussels (late 2011), one in Dublin (late 2011), and one in Hong Kong (undetermined date). A&F stores range from 6000 to 36000 sq ft (557.4 to 3,344.5 m2).
The company has three concept brands apart from its namesake, Abercrombie & Fitch. While referred to as subsidiaries
, the brands do not operate separately, but are operated as divisions under the A&F umbrella.
abercrombie
: Prep-school by Abercrombie & Fitch Themed as "classic cool" for kids 7 through 14, this is the children's version of Abercrombie & Fitch.
Hollister Co.
: Southern California by Abercrombie & Fitch Themed after "SoCal" for teenagers 14 through 18, with lower prices than its parent brand.
Gilly Hicks
: The cheeky cousin of Abercrombie & Fitch Themed after "Down Under
" Sydney, it offers underwear and loungewear for women 18 and up.
Ruehl No.925: Was an upscale brand intended to attract post-graduate customers aged 22 through 35. Sales were disappointing and operations ended in January 2010.
, inclusion
, human rights, philanthropy, and sustainability
.
The A&F Challenge is an annual fundraising event held on the home office campus in New Albany that features running, walking, biking, entertainment and food. The funds raised go to the Ohio State University
Medical Center's Program for Health, which focuses on "women's cancers and the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease."
In 2007, Abercrombie & Fitch partnered with the National Society of High School Scholars at the Carter Center
in Atlanta, Georgia
to offer US$75,000 scholarships to NSHSS members.
, Sweden(brought about by the Amethier twins), Singapore
and Amsterdam
, Netherlands, as well as shuttering 60 of its namesake stores in the U.S., by the end of 2010 Additionally, the company will open 30 Hollister mall-based locations internationally and a second Hollister Epic flagship in New York City.
After delivering openings at a deliberately slow pace, the company will accelerate international expansion for its namesake and its Hollister Co.
brand. Noting the high profitability of its current international stores, A&F has plans to open about 15 flagship locations in total throughout Europe and Asia up to the end of its fiscal 2012 year. The steep number could include openings for its other brands as well. The company expects 30% of its sales to be derived from international stores by 2012.
Additional planned flagship store openings are:
A&F anticipates opening many additional small retail locations throughout Japan in the near future. Despite the positive reception of A&F in Tokyo, Kensuke Kojima comments that, "Abercrombie's long-established WASPy and masculine image does not match the current Japanese market trend for non-aggressive styles."
.
, the company was accused of discriminating against African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and women by preferentially offering floor sales positions (called Brand Representatives or Models) and store management positions to whites and men. The company agreed to a settlement of the class-action
suit, which required the company to (1) pay $4 million to African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and women who applied and were not hired or worked in certain store positions, (2) revise its hiring, performance measurement, and promotion policies, (3) revise its internal complaint procedures, (4) appoint a Vice President of Diversity, (5) hire 25 recruiters to seek out minority applicants, (6) discontinue the practice of recruiting employees at primarily white fraternities and sororities
, (7) include more minorities in marketing materials, (8) report to a neutral court-appointed monitor twice per year regarding its progress in those areas, and (9) report to the court once per year.
In June 2009, British law student Riam Dean, who had worked at A&F's flagship store in London's Saville Row, took the company to an employment tribunal
. Dean, who was born without a left forearm, claimed that although she was initially given special permission to wear clothing that covered her prosthetic limb, she was soon told that her appearance breached the company's "Look Policy" and sent to work in the stock room, out of sight of customers. Dean sued the company for disability discrimination, and sought up to £20,000 in damages. In August 2009, the tribunal ruled the 22-year-old was wrongfully dismissed and unlawfully harassed. She was awarded £8,013 for hurt feelings, loss of earnings, and wrongful dismissal.
In a lawsuit filed in September 2009 in U.S. District Court by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
, 17-year-old Samantha Elauf said she applied, in June 2008, for a sales position at the Abercrombie Kids store in the Woodland Hills Mall
, located in Tulsa
, Oklahoma
. The teen, who wears a hijab
in accordance with her religious beliefs, claims the manager told her the headscarf violates the store's "Look Policy".
In 2010, a Muslim woman working at a Hollister store in San Mateo
, California, was fired. Before being dismissed, Hani Khan had refused Abercrombie & Fitch's human-resources representative's demand that she remove her hijab. The representative reportedly stated that the headscarf, which Khan wears for religious reasons, violated the company's "Look Policy". The civil liberties group Council on American-Islamic Relations
has stated that the dismissal is a violation of nondiscrimination laws, and filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
, try on clothes in a fitting room. The amount of the fine reflected the company's failure to respond to complaints by the girls' mother and its subsequent charge that the girl in question did not really have autism.
, claiming that American Eagle copied A&F garment designs, among other things. The lawsuit was based on a trade-dress
claim, stating that American Eagle had very closely mimicked A&F's products' visual appearance and packaging. Specifically, A&F claimed that American Eagle copied particular articles of clothing, in-store displays and advertisements, and even the A&F product catalog. Despite the admission that American Eagle might have utilized very similar materials, designs, in-store displays, symbols, color combinations, and patterns as A&F, the court ruled that there was not an excessive level of similarity to confuse potential customers, and therefore the court ruled in favor of American Eagle.
In 2009, the company filed a lawsuit against Beyoncé Knowles, who uses the onstage name of Sasha Fierce, to stop her from marketing a fragrance named Sasha Fierce, claiming infringement of A&F's own Fierce fragrance trademark.
A&F agreed to pay $40 million by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") to all African American, Asian, and Latino applicants who were discriminated against by the company. The applicants argued that the company expected them to work only in low-visibility jobs in the back of the store. The EEOC required A&F to provide equal opportunity to everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender.
, Out
, Rolling Stone
and Vanity Fair
.
Despite a company policy restricting sale of the publication to minors, critics charged that the publication was readily sold to minors. In 2003, an array of religious organizations, women's rights activists, and Asian American groups organized boycotts and protests over the publication, and the "Christmas Edition" of the catalog was removed from stores. Although Jeffries said he chose to discontinue the catalog, because "Frankly, [he] was getting sick of the old one; it was getting boring," on June 17, 2010 the company made the announcement, "The Return of the A&F Quarterly" and invited email subscribers to reserve their $10 copy for a July 17, 2010 in-store release date.
, located in Palo Alto
, California
. That same year, abercrombie kids
removed a line of thong underwear sold for girls in pre-teen children's sizes after parents mounted nationwide storefront protests. The underwear included phrases like "Eye Candy" and "Wink Wink" printed on the front.
More T-shirt controversies occurred in 2004. The first incident involved a shirt featuring the phrase, "It's All Relative in West Virginia," a jab at alleged incest
uous relationships in rural America. West Virginia Governor Bob Wise
spoke out against the company for depicting "an unfounded, negative stereotype
of West Virginia", but the shirts were not removed. Later, another T-shirt that said "L is for Loser" next to a picture of a male gymnast on the rings gathered publicity. The company stopped selling the shirt in October 2004 after USA Gymnastics
president Bob Colarossi announced a boycott of A&F for mocking the sport.
In 2005, the Women and Girls Foundation
of Southwest Pennsylvania launched a "Girlcott
" of the store to protest the sale of T-shirts displaying sexist messages such as "Who needs brains when you have these?", "Available for parties," and "I had a nightmare I was a brunette." The campaign received national coverage on The Today Show, and the company pulled the shirts from stores on November 5, 2005. Five days after this media coverage, A&F pulled two of the shirts off of its shelves, released an apology to girls for producing the T-shirts, and agreed to have corporate executives meet with the "Girlcott" girls at the company's headquarters.
Bob Jones University
, a non-denominational
Protestant
university located in Greenville
, South Carolina
, and its affiliated pre-collegiate schools, along with other Christian schools have prohibited A&F and Hollister clothing from being "worn, carried, or displayed" on its campuses because of "an unusual degree of antagonism to the name of Christ and an unusual display of wickedness" in the company's promotions.
After A&F raised its price points in 2004, its products have been described as overpriced. After the company opened its flagship store in London, England, the brand was criticized in the United Kingdom because the merchandise that was offered to the customers cost double (or even a direct $/£ swap) compared to prices found in the U.S.
A T-shirt controversy arose again over A&F's Back-to-School 2009 collection of "humor tees". One shirt proclaims "Show the twins" above a picture of a young woman with her blouse open to two men. Two other shirts state "Female streaking encouraged" and "Female Students Wanted for Sexual Research". The American Family Association
disapproved of the influence of the "sex-as-recreation" lifestyle shirts, and asked the brand to remove its "sexualized shirts" from display.
in Columbus, Ohio
agreed to rename its emergency room to the Abercrombie & Fitch Emergency Department and Trauma Center in exchange for a $10 million donation. A letter written by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
, signed by over 100 doctors and children's advocacy groups, argued against the renaming, for the "company's appalling history of targeting children with sexualized marketing and clothing."
commemorations in the United Kingdom every November. Phipps was particularly upset as the commemorations also include those in current active service in Iraq and Afghanistan where both UK and US troops make up the bulk of coalition forces present, and she has a personal friend serving. The official A&F reason for the refusal was reported to be that the poppy is not considered part of the corporate approved uniform, and is therefore prohibited.
However, on November 8 the company posted on its Facebook page the following statement: "As an American company that has been around since 1892, we appreciate the sacrifices of the British and American servicemen/women in the World Wars and in military conflicts that continue today. Our company policy is to allow associates to wear a poppy as a token of this appreciation on Remembrance Day. Going forward, ...we will revisit this policy to the days/weeks leading up to Remembrance Day."
Parody
The company also operates three offshoot brands: abercrombie
Abercrombie Kids
Abercrombie kids is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie & Fitch. Targeting consumers aged 7–14, the concept is designed as the children's version of A&F and is marketed as "Classic Cool"...
(childrenswear), Hollister Co.
Hollister Co.
Hollister Co., sometimes advertised as Hollister or HCo., is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie & Fitch Co. The concept was originally designed to attract consumers aged 14–18 through its SoCal-inspired image and casual wear. Goods are available in-store and through the company's online store...
, and Gilly Hicks
Gilly Hicks
Gilly Hicks is a lifestyle brand, from American company Abercrombie & Fitch, specializing in women's "knickers from casual to sexy, relaxed PJ's and beauty things." Marketed for the female consumers of its parent brand, Gilly Hicks is officially labeled as "the Cheeky cousin of Abercrombie &...
. The company operated a post-collegiate brand, Ruehl No.925, that closed in early 2010.
History
There have been three retailers called Abercrombie & Fitch and the current A&F shares only its name with the original business. Founded in 1892 in the ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra H. Fitch, the original Abercrombie & Fitch was an elite outfitter of sporting and excursion goods, particularly noted for its expensive shotguns, fishing rods, and tents. In 1976, Abercrombie & Fitch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
, finally closing its flagship Manhattan store in 1977.
The name was revived shortly thereafter, when in 1978–79, Oshman's Sporting Goods
Oshman's Sporting Goods
Oshman's Sporting Goods Inc. was a sporting goods retailer in the United States. Its headquarters was in East End, Houston, Texas. It operated traditional sporting goods stores and Oshman's Supersports USA megastores.-History:...
, a Houston-based chain, bought the defunct firm's name and mailing list. Oshman's relaunched A&F as a mail-order retailer specializing in hunting wear and novelty items. It also opened shops in Beverly Hills, Dallas, and (by the mid-1980s) New York City. Finally, in 1988, Oshman's sold the company name and operations to The Limited
Limited Brands
Limited Brands is an American apparel company based in Columbus, Ohio. In 2009 it reported 9.04 billion dollars in revenue for the last fiscal year.-History:...
, a clothing-chain operator based in Columbus, Ohio.
The current version of A&F sells mostly clothes instead of pith helmets or elephant guns, and describes its retailing niche as an aspirational "Casual Luxury" lifestyle brand
Lifestyle brand
A lifestyle brand is a brand that attempts to embody the values and aspirations of a group or culture for purposes of marketing.Each individual has an identity based on their choices, experiences, and background...
.
Especially since 1997, the company has consistently kept a high-profile in the public eye, due to its advertising, its philanthropy, and its involvement in legal conflicts over branding, clothing style and employment practices. The company has been accused of promoting the sexualization of pre-teen girls by marketing thongs to 10-year-olds and padded bikini tops to 7-year-olds.
Competition
Abercrombie & Fitch mainly competes with other outfitters, Aeropostale and American EagleAmerican Eagle Outfitters
American Eagle Outfitters is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1977 by Mark and Jerry Silverman as a subsidiary of Retail Ventures, Inc., a company which also owned and operated Silverman's Menswear...
as well as a few smaller brands. In 2010, Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister reported sales of $2.97 billion, $3.037 billion and $298.2 million Aéropostale generated $2.4 billion in net sales respectively. Old Navy reported sales of $5.37 billion within the same time period. Aéropostale's younger brand, P.S. from Aéropostale, competes with brands such as A&F's younger subsidiary abercrombie
Abercrombie Kids
Abercrombie kids is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie & Fitch. Targeting consumers aged 7–14, the concept is designed as the children's version of A&F and is marketed as "Classic Cool"...
and American Eagle's 77kids.
Management
Headquarters and corporate officials
The company's headquarters, referred to by the company as "The Home Office", is located in New AlbanyNew Albany, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,711 people, 1,263 households, and 1,030 families residing in the village. The population density was 415.7 people per square mile . There were 1,424 housing units at an average density of 159.5 per square mile...
, Ohio. The Home Office is designed as a campus of sorts, and is referred to as such. The company's merchandise-distribution centers
Distribution center
A distribution center for a set of products is a warehouse or other specialized building, often with refrigeration or air conditioning, which is stocked with products to be redistributed to retailers, to wholesalers, or directly to consumers. A distribution center is a principal part, the order...
(1 million square feet) are located exclusively on campus to help ensure brand protection. Also on campus are mock-up stores, one for each of the company's brands, where store layout, merchandise and atmosphere are determined.
The company also has a European office in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
, the following were key corporate officials:
- Michael S. Jeffries Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
- Diane Chang Executive Vice President of Sourcing
- Leslee K. Herro Executive Vice President of Planning and Allocation
- David S. Cupps Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel
- Jonathan Ramsden Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
- Amy Zehrer Senior Vice President of Stores
- Claire Morris senior manager
Employment
The company uses "brand representatives", now called "models", for store customer service. The models had been required to buy and wear A&F apparel, but following a company settlement with California state labor regulatorsLabour law
Labour law is the body of laws, administrative rulings, and precedents which address the legal rights of, and restrictions on, working people and their organizations. As such, it mediates many aspects of the relationship between trade unions, employers and employees...
may now wear any no-logo clothing as long as it corresponds with the season. The California settlement also provided $2.2 million to reimburse former employees for their forced purchases of company-branded clothing. An "Impact Team" was created in 2004 to control merchandise within each store and maintain company standards; "visual managers" are responsible for forms, lighting, photo marketing, fragrance presentations and to ensure models comply with the "look policy".
Lawsuits have been filed against the company due to alleged discriminatory employment practices. In 2004, in Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores
Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores
The lawsuit Gonzalez, et al. v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc., et al. , filed in June 2003, alleged that the nationwide retailer Abercrombie & Fitch "violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by maintaining recruiting and hiring practices that excluded minorities and women and adopting...
(see "Legal issues" and "Controversy and Criticism" below), the company was sued for giving desirable positions to white applicants, to the exclusion of minorities.
Settlement of class-action lawsuit
On April 14, 2005, Judge Susan IllstonSusan Illston
Susan Yvonne Illston is a San Francisco, California-based judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.-Biography:...
of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
United States District Court for the Northern District of California
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California is the federal United States district court whose jurisdiction comprises following counties of California: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San...
granted final approval to a settlement of Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch. The settlement requires the company to pay $40 million to several thousand minority and female plaintiffs who charged the company with discrimination. The settlement also requires the company to institute a range of policies and programs to promote diversity among its workforce and to prevent discrimination based on race or gender. The consent decree
Consent decree
A consent decree is a final, binding judicial decree or judgment memorializing a voluntary agreement between parties to a suit in return for withdrawal of a criminal charge or an end to a civil litigation...
governs the recruitment, hiring, job assignment, training, and promotion of Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, and abercrombie kids employees. A monitor will regularly evaluate and report on the company's compliance with the provisions of the consent decree. These provisions include:
- "Benchmarks" for hiring and promotion of women, Latinos, African Americans, and Asian Americans. These benchmarks are goals, rather than quotas, and the company will be required to report on its progress toward these goals at regular intervals;
- A prohibition on targeting fraternities, sororities, or specific colleges for recruitment purposes;
- Advertising of available positions in publications targeting minorities of both genders;
- A new Office and Vice President of Diversity, responsible for reporting to the company's chief executive officer on the company's progress toward fair employment practices;
- The hiring of twenty-five recruiters who will focus on and seek women and minority employees.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Diversity Training for all employees with hiring authority;
- Revision of Performance Evaluations for managers, making progress toward diversity goals a factor in their bonuses and compensation;
- A new internal complaint procedure; and
- The company's marketing materials will reflect diversity by including members of minority racial and ethnic groups.
Marketing and advertising
Bruce Weber (photographer)
Bruce Weber is an American fashion photographer and occasional filmmaker. He is most widely known for his ad campaigns for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Pirelli, Abercrombie & Fitch, Revlon, and Gianni Versace, as well as his work for Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Elle, Life, Interview, and Rolling Stone...
. It is rendered to grayscale
Grayscale
In photography and computing, a grayscale or greyscale digital image is an image in which the value of each pixel is a single sample, that is, it carries only intensity information...
and features outdoor settings, usually with semi-nude males and females. A&F casts only store employees for marketing campaigns. Casting directors from the home office travel to key A&F regional stores in the United States and to London to hold "casting calls" for employees aspiring to become the next "A&F New Face". The company promotes its casting sessions, models, and photo shoots in the "A&F Casting" feature online at abercrombie.com. The website also provides a gallery of current photography. Framed copies at A&F stores will sometimes name the model and store.
The Abercrombie & Fitch brand image is heavily promoted as an international near-luxury lifestyle concept
Lifestyle brand
A lifestyle brand is a brand that attempts to embody the values and aspirations of a group or culture for purposes of marketing.Each individual has an identity based on their choices, experiences, and background...
. The company began cultivating an upscale image after the 2005 opening of its Fifth Avenue flagship store alongside Prada
Prada
Prada S.p.A. is an Italian fashion label specializing in luxury goods for men and women , founded by Mario Prada.-Foundations:...
and other upscale retailers. Having for years used high-grade materials in the construction of its merchandise and priced them at "near-luxury" levels, the trademark Casual Luxury was introduced as a fictional dictionary term with multiple definitions such as "[using] the finest cashmere
Cashmere wool
Cashmere wool, usually simply known as cashmere, is a fiber obtained from Cashmere and other types of goats. The word cashmere derives from an old spelling of Kashmir. Cashmere is fine in texture, and strong, light, and soft. Garments made from it provide excellent...
, pima cottons, and highest quality leather to create the ultimate in casual, body conscious clothing," and "implementing and/or incorporating time honored machinery ...to produce the most exclusive denim..." This upscale image has allowed A&F to open stores in international high-end locations and further promote the image by pricing its merchandise at almost double the American prices.
Overall, CEO Jeffries calls the A&F image a "movie" because of the "fantasy" that plays out instore. Even some of the clothing is given "story": "You buy into the emotional experience of a movie," Jeffries explains, "And that's what we're creating. Here I am walking into a movie, and I say, 'What's going to be [at] the box office today?'"
Goods and credit card
Women's Wear Daily
Women's Wear Daily is a fashion-industry trade journal sometimes called "the bible of fashion." WWD delivers information and intelligence on changing trends and breaking news in the fashion, beauty and retail industries with a readership composed largely of retailers, designers, manufacturers,...
calls Abercrombie & Fitch clothing classically "neo-preppy", with an "edgy tone and imagery".
The company's fashions have a reputation for luxury, with the majority of designs trend-driven. There is heavy promotion of "Premium Jeans". In early 2010, the company introduced a leather handbag collection inspired by designs from Ruehl.
Its prices are recognized as the highest in the youth-clothing industry. Internationally, prices are almost double those in its American stores. Retail analyst Chris Boring warns that the company's brands are a "little more susceptible" should recession hit, because their specialties are premium-priced goods rather than necessities. Indeed, as the late-2000s recession continues, A&F has noticeably suffered financially for its refusal to lower prices or offer discounts. A&F argues that doing so would "cheapen" its near-luxury image. Analyst Bruce Watson warns that A&F risks finding itself transformed into "a cautionary tale of a store that was left by the wayside when it declined to change with the times". A&F's year-to-year revenue, a key indicator of a retailer's health, rose 13% in September 2010, aided by strong international sales.
Abercrombie & Fitch carries men's fragrances Fierce
Fierce (A&F fragrance)
Fierce is a men's fragrance by Abercrombie & Fitch. The cologne marked the first introduction of an A&F scent for men when it was launched in 2002. Today, Fierce is the signature scent of the Abercrombie & Fitch brand.Abercrombie & Fitch has sold over $190 million USD of Fierce since 2002...
, Cologne 41,Colden, and have re-branded the original cologne Woods (Christmas Floorset 2010). Women's fragrances include 8, Perfume 41, Wakely, and Classic. Fierce and 8 are the most heavily marketed fragrances, as they are the signature scents of the brand overall.
The company also offers the Abercrombie & Fitch Credit Card, issued by the World Financial Network National Bank.
Brand protection
Because of extensive counterfeitCounterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
ing of Abercrombie & Fitch goods, in 2006 the company launched a brand protection program to combat the problem worldwide (focusing more on China, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea) by working with legal forces globally. The program is headed by a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent who was part of the FBI's Intellectual Property Rights program, and covers all A&F brands. A&F says that the program "will improve current practices and strategies by focusing on eliminating the supply of illicit Abercrombie & Fitch products." The company encourages customers to purchase from authentic stores and to report suspected A&F counterfeiting.
In August 2011, A&F offered Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and other cast members of the MTV reality show Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore (TV series)
Jersey Shore is an American reality television series that premiered on MTV on December 3, 2009 in the United States. The series follows the lives of eight housemates spending their summer at the Jersey Shore in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Season 2 followed the cast escaping the cold northeast...
a "substantial payment" if they stopped wearing Abercrombie-branded clothes, stating "We are deeply concerned that Mr. Sorrentino's association with our brand could cause significant damage to our image." In November 2011, Sorrentino filed a lawsuit against A&F after the company violated his copyrights in making shirts that said "The Fitchuation" and "GTL...You Know The Deal."
Stores and brands
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
meant to create an upbeat atmosphere may be played at sound levels as high as 90 decibel
Decibel
The decibel is a logarithmic unit that indicates the ratio of a physical quantity relative to a specified or implied reference level. A ratio in decibels is ten times the logarithm to base 10 of the ratio of two power quantities...
s, exceeding the corporate policy of 80 decibels and comparable to heavy construction machinery and harmful to the ears.
The company operates 1,073 stores across all four brands. The A&F brand has 316 locations in the United States, four in Canada, one in London, one in Milan, one in Tokyo, one in Copenhagen, one in Madrid (opening Summer 2011), one in Paris (May 2011), one in Brussels (late 2011), one in Dublin (late 2011), and one in Hong Kong (undetermined date). A&F stores range from 6000 to 36000 sq ft (557.4 to 3,344.5 m2).
The company has three concept brands apart from its namesake, Abercrombie & Fitch. While referred to as subsidiaries
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
, the brands do not operate separately, but are operated as divisions under the A&F umbrella.
abercrombie
Abercrombie Kids
Abercrombie kids is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie & Fitch. Targeting consumers aged 7–14, the concept is designed as the children's version of A&F and is marketed as "Classic Cool"...
: Prep-school by Abercrombie & Fitch Themed as "classic cool" for kids 7 through 14, this is the children's version of Abercrombie & Fitch.
Hollister Co.
Hollister Co.
Hollister Co., sometimes advertised as Hollister or HCo., is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie & Fitch Co. The concept was originally designed to attract consumers aged 14–18 through its SoCal-inspired image and casual wear. Goods are available in-store and through the company's online store...
: Southern California by Abercrombie & Fitch Themed after "SoCal" for teenagers 14 through 18, with lower prices than its parent brand.
Gilly Hicks
Gilly Hicks
Gilly Hicks is a lifestyle brand, from American company Abercrombie & Fitch, specializing in women's "knickers from casual to sexy, relaxed PJ's and beauty things." Marketed for the female consumers of its parent brand, Gilly Hicks is officially labeled as "the Cheeky cousin of Abercrombie &...
: The cheeky cousin of Abercrombie & Fitch Themed after "Down Under
Down Under
The term Down Under is a colloquialism which is variously construed either to refer to Australia and New Zealand, or Australia alone. The term comes from the fact that these countries are located in the southern hemisphere, below many other countries on the globe.The persistence of the media use of...
" Sydney, it offers underwear and loungewear for women 18 and up.
Ruehl No.925: Was an upscale brand intended to attract post-graduate customers aged 22 through 35. Sales were disappointing and operations ended in January 2010.
Humanitarian projects
In recent years, Abercrombie & Fitch has engaged in philanthropic and humanitarian projects. In January 2010, the company launched the "A&F Cares" feature on its website to inform the public about its efforts in the fields of diversityDiversity (politics)
In the political arena, the term diversity is used to describe political entities with members who have identifiable differences in their backgrounds or lifestyles....
, inclusion
Inclusion (value and practice)
Miller and Katz presents a common definition of an inclusive value system where they say, “Inclusion is a sense of belonging: feeling respected, valued for who you are; feeling a level of supportive energy and commitment from others so than you can do your best work.” Inclusion is a shift in...
, human rights, philanthropy, and sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
.
The A&F Challenge is an annual fundraising event held on the home office campus in New Albany that features running, walking, biking, entertainment and food. The funds raised go to the Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
Medical Center's Program for Health, which focuses on "women's cancers and the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease."
In 2007, Abercrombie & Fitch partnered with the National Society of High School Scholars at the Carter Center
Carter Center
The Carter Center is a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter. In partnership with Emory University, The Carter Center works to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
to offer US$75,000 scholarships to NSHSS members.
Future plans
Total capital expenditures for 2010 are expected to be in the range of $250 million to $260 million. $215 million to $225 million is related to new stores, store refreshes and remodels, and approximately $35 million related to information technology, distribution center and other home office projects. The company is on track to open flagship stores in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden(brought about by the Amethier twins), Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Netherlands, as well as shuttering 60 of its namesake stores in the U.S., by the end of 2010 Additionally, the company will open 30 Hollister mall-based locations internationally and a second Hollister Epic flagship in New York City.
Expansion campaign
The Abercrombie & Fitch brand is believed to have reached its maximum growth potential in the American market. International expansion began in 2006, with the long-term goal of opening flagships for A&F (and eventually all its brands), in high-profile shopping centers worldwide "at a deliberate pace".After delivering openings at a deliberately slow pace, the company will accelerate international expansion for its namesake and its Hollister Co.
Hollister Co.
Hollister Co., sometimes advertised as Hollister or HCo., is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie & Fitch Co. The concept was originally designed to attract consumers aged 14–18 through its SoCal-inspired image and casual wear. Goods are available in-store and through the company's online store...
brand. Noting the high profitability of its current international stores, A&F has plans to open about 15 flagship locations in total throughout Europe and Asia up to the end of its fiscal 2012 year. The steep number could include openings for its other brands as well. The company expects 30% of its sales to be derived from international stores by 2012.
Canada
Canadian expansion is expected to continue, with more mall store locations for Abercrombie & Fitch and its abercrombie and Hollister brands in upcoming years.- Etobicoke: Sherway GardensSherway GardensSherway Garden is a large shopping mall located in Etobicoke with over 200 stores. It is located on the south-east intersection of The Queensway and The West Mall in the west end of the city on the Mississauga border...
(opened in 2005). - TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
: Eaton CentreToronto Eaton CentreThe Toronto Eaton Centre is a large shopping mall and office complex in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, named after the now-defunct Eaton's department store chain that once anchored it. In terms of the number of visitors, the shopping mall is Toronto's top tourist attraction, with around one...
. - EdmontonEdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
: West Edmonton MallWest Edmonton MallWest Edmonton Mall , located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is the largest shopping mall in North America and the fifth largest in the world. The mall was founded by the Ghermezian brothers, who emigrated from Iran in 1959. It was the world's largest mall until 2004.West Edmonton Mall covers a gross...
. - CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
: Chinook CentreChinook CentreChinook Centre is the largest enclosed shopping centre in Calgary, Alberta containing over 250 stores, a professional building, and a major theatre complex...
(opened September 29, 2010).
Europe
The company entered the European market in 2007 with its London flagship store. Since then, the company has opened stores in Italy, Denmark and France. Belgium, Germany, Spain and Irish flagship stores will open later in 2011.- LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
flagship: 7 Burlington Gardens7 Burlington Gardens7 Burlington Gardens is a Grade II* location of historic English significance, in London, England, United Kingdom. It is the former Queensberry House also called Uxbridge House...
, Savile RowSavile RowSavile Row is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's bespoke tailoring. The term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to "be spoken for" by individual customers...
(opened March 22, 2007). - MilanMilanMilan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
flagship: Corso Giacomo Matteotti 12 (opened October 29, 2009). - CopenhagenCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
flagship: Købmagergade 11 (opened November 4, 2010). - ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
flagship: Building no. 23, Avenue des Champs-Élysées (opened May 19, 2011). - MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
flagship: Plaza del Marqués de Salamanca 5 (opened November 3, 2011).
Additional planned flagship store openings are:
- DüsseldorfDüsseldorfDüsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
flagship: KönigsalleeKönigsalleeThe Königsallee is an urban boulevard in Düsseldorf, state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The Königsallee is noted for both the landscaped canal that runs along its center, as well as for the fashion showrooms and luxury retail stores located along its sides.Nicknamed Kö by the...
17 (to open on December 1, 2011). - BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
flagship: Boulevard de Waterloo 21 (to open on December 8, 2011). - HamburgHamburg-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
flagship: Alte Post building, Poststraße 11 (to open in April 2012). - Dublin flagship: 34 College GreenCollege GreenCollege Green is a three-sided "square" in the centre of Dublin. On its northern side is a building known today as the Bank of Ireland which until 1800 was Ireland's Parliament House. To its east stands Trinity College Dublin, the only constituent college of the University of Dublin. To its south...
(to open in 2011). - BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
flagship: Paseo de Gracia (to open late 2012). - MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
flagship: Sendlinger Straße, Quartier Hofstatt (to open in late 2012). - ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
flagship: St Ann's Street (to open in former Habitat building 2012)
Asia
As with Europe, expansion into Asia holds a strong interest for the company. Having opened Asia's first A&F location in Tokyo, the company will primarily focus on the Chinese and Japanese markets where luxury consumption is high.A&F anticipates opening many additional small retail locations throughout Japan in the near future. Despite the positive reception of A&F in Tokyo, Kensuke Kojima comments that, "Abercrombie's long-established WASPy and masculine image does not match the current Japanese market trend for non-aggressive styles."
- TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
flagship: GinzaGinzais a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi.It is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. Ginza is recognized as one of the most...
(opened December 15, 2009). - FukuokaFukuokaFukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan...
flagship: opened November 11, 2010. - SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
flagship: Knightsbridge, Orchard RoadOrchard RoadOrchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and entertainment hub of the city-state. It is regularly frequented by the local population as well as being a major tourist attraction...
(to open December 15, 2011).
Latin America
The first A&F store in Latin America opened in 2010 in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
.
- San JuanSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
: Plaza Las Américas mallPlaza Las AméricasPlaza Las Américas is a shopping mall in Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico, located at the intersection of Routes 18 and 22. It is near the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, the Hiram Bithorn Stadium, and the WKAQ-TV's studios. "Plaza", as it is known to many Puerto Ricans, was the first indoor mall built...
(opened December 15, 2010).
Legal issues
The company has been involved in legal conflicts over its employment practices, treatment of customers, and clothing styles.Employment practices
In a 2004 lawsuit González v. Abercrombie & FitchGonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores
The lawsuit Gonzalez, et al. v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc., et al. , filed in June 2003, alleged that the nationwide retailer Abercrombie & Fitch "violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by maintaining recruiting and hiring practices that excluded minorities and women and adopting...
, the company was accused of discriminating against African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and women by preferentially offering floor sales positions (called Brand Representatives or Models) and store management positions to whites and men. The company agreed to a settlement of the class-action
Class action
In law, a class action, a class suit, or a representative action is a form of lawsuit in which a large group of people collectively bring a claim to court and/or in which a class of defendants is being sued...
suit, which required the company to (1) pay $4 million to African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and women who applied and were not hired or worked in certain store positions, (2) revise its hiring, performance measurement, and promotion policies, (3) revise its internal complaint procedures, (4) appoint a Vice President of Diversity, (5) hire 25 recruiters to seek out minority applicants, (6) discontinue the practice of recruiting employees at primarily white fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
, (7) include more minorities in marketing materials, (8) report to a neutral court-appointed monitor twice per year regarding its progress in those areas, and (9) report to the court once per year.
In June 2009, British law student Riam Dean, who had worked at A&F's flagship store in London's Saville Row, took the company to an employment tribunal
Employment tribunal
Employment Tribunals are tribunal non-departmental public bodies in England and Wales and Scotland which have statutory jurisdiction to hear many kinds of disputes between employers and employees. The most common disputes are concerned with unfair dismissal, redundancy payments and employment...
. Dean, who was born without a left forearm, claimed that although she was initially given special permission to wear clothing that covered her prosthetic limb, she was soon told that her appearance breached the company's "Look Policy" and sent to work in the stock room, out of sight of customers. Dean sued the company for disability discrimination, and sought up to £20,000 in damages. In August 2009, the tribunal ruled the 22-year-old was wrongfully dismissed and unlawfully harassed. She was awarded £8,013 for hurt feelings, loss of earnings, and wrongful dismissal.
In a lawsuit filed in September 2009 in U.S. District Court by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, perceived intelligence,...
, 17-year-old Samantha Elauf said she applied, in June 2008, for a sales position at the Abercrombie Kids store in the Woodland Hills Mall
Woodland Hills Mall
Woodland Hills Mall, shopping mall located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States, is one of Oklahoma's largest shopping malls. It features several national as well as local chains....
, located in Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. The teen, who wears a hijab
Hijab
The word "hijab" or "'" refers to both the head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women and modest Muslim styles of dress in general....
in accordance with her religious beliefs, claims the manager told her the headscarf violates the store's "Look Policy".
In 2010, a Muslim woman working at a Hollister store in San Mateo
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
, California, was fired. Before being dismissed, Hani Khan had refused Abercrombie & Fitch's human-resources representative's demand that she remove her hijab. The representative reportedly stated that the headscarf, which Khan wears for religious reasons, violated the company's "Look Policy". The civil liberties group Council on American-Islamic Relations
Council on American-Islamic Relations
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is America's largest Muslim civil liberties advocacy organization that deals with civil advocacy and promotes human rights...
has stated that the dismissal is a violation of nondiscrimination laws, and filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Discrimination against autistic person
In 2009, the company was fined more than $115,000 by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights for refusing to let a teenage girl help her sister, who has autismAutism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
, try on clothes in a fitting room. The amount of the fine reflected the company's failure to respond to complaints by the girls' mother and its subsequent charge that the girl in question did not really have autism.
Violation of privacy
A 16-year-old is suing the company after discovering that she was being videotaped in an A&F changing room by an employee, Kenneth Applegate II. Applegate denied the claim, but co-workers discovered his camera days later with the video on it.Lawsuits against other parties
In 2002, the company filed a lawsuit against American Eagle OutfittersAmerican Eagle Outfitters
American Eagle Outfitters is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1977 by Mark and Jerry Silverman as a subsidiary of Retail Ventures, Inc., a company which also owned and operated Silverman's Menswear...
, claiming that American Eagle copied A&F garment designs, among other things. The lawsuit was based on a trade-dress
Trade dress
Trade dress is a legal term of art that generally refers to characteristics of the visual appearance of a product or its packaging that signify the source of the product to consumers...
claim, stating that American Eagle had very closely mimicked A&F's products' visual appearance and packaging. Specifically, A&F claimed that American Eagle copied particular articles of clothing, in-store displays and advertisements, and even the A&F product catalog. Despite the admission that American Eagle might have utilized very similar materials, designs, in-store displays, symbols, color combinations, and patterns as A&F, the court ruled that there was not an excessive level of similarity to confuse potential customers, and therefore the court ruled in favor of American Eagle.
In 2009, the company filed a lawsuit against Beyoncé Knowles, who uses the onstage name of Sasha Fierce, to stop her from marketing a fragrance named Sasha Fierce, claiming infringement of A&F's own Fierce fragrance trademark.
Controversy and criticism
Since its re-establishment in 1988, Abercrombie & Fitch has faced numerous accusations regarding its employment practices, merchandise, and advertising campaigns which have been described as sexually explicit and racist.A&F agreed to pay $40 million by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") to all African American, Asian, and Latino applicants who were discriminated against by the company. The applicants argued that the company expected them to work only in low-visibility jobs in the back of the store. The EEOC required A&F to provide equal opportunity to everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender.
Labor practices
In November 2009, Abercrombie & Fitch was added to the "Sweatshop Hall of Shame 2010" by the worker advocacy group International Labor Rights Forum.A&F Quarterly
Conservative and religious groups called for boycotts of the original American publication of A&F Quarterly (published from 1997 to 2003) for its sexually explicit nature. The magazine contained nude photography by Bruce Weber, articles about sex, and recipes for alcoholic beverages. Also acting as a catalog, the Quarterly displayed the brand's merchandise with information and prices. Advertisements for the A&F Quarterly appeared in InterviewInterview (magazine)
Interview is an American magazine which has the nickname The Crystal Ball Of Pop. It was founded in late 1969 by artist Andy Warhol. The magazine features intimate conversations between some of the world's biggest celebrities, artists, musicians, and creative thinkers...
, Out
Out (magazine)
Out is a popular gay and lesbian fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle magazine, with the highest circulation of any gay monthly publication in the United States. It carries itself in a similar editorial manner to Details, Esquire, and GQ. Out was published by PlanetOut Inc...
, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
and Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
.
Despite a company policy restricting sale of the publication to minors, critics charged that the publication was readily sold to minors. In 2003, an array of religious organizations, women's rights activists, and Asian American groups organized boycotts and protests over the publication, and the "Christmas Edition" of the catalog was removed from stores. Although Jeffries said he chose to discontinue the catalog, because "Frankly, [he] was getting sick of the old one; it was getting boring," on June 17, 2010 the company made the announcement, "The Return of the A&F Quarterly" and invited email subscribers to reserve their $10 copy for a July 17, 2010 in-store release date.
Product criticism
In 2002, A&F sold a shirt that featured the slogan "Wong Brothers Laundry Service Two Wongs Can Make It White" with smiling figures in conical Asian hats, a depiction of early Chinese immigrants. The company discontinued the designs and apologized after a boycott started by an Asian American student group at the Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, located in Palo Alto
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. That same year, abercrombie kids
Abercrombie Kids
Abercrombie kids is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie & Fitch. Targeting consumers aged 7–14, the concept is designed as the children's version of A&F and is marketed as "Classic Cool"...
removed a line of thong underwear sold for girls in pre-teen children's sizes after parents mounted nationwide storefront protests. The underwear included phrases like "Eye Candy" and "Wink Wink" printed on the front.
More T-shirt controversies occurred in 2004. The first incident involved a shirt featuring the phrase, "It's All Relative in West Virginia," a jab at alleged incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
uous relationships in rural America. West Virginia Governor Bob Wise
Bob Wise
Robert Ellsworth "Bob" Wise, Jr. is an American politician. A Democrat, Wise served as the 33rd Governor of West Virginia from January 2001 to January 2005.-Early life:...
spoke out against the company for depicting "an unfounded, negative stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
of West Virginia", but the shirts were not removed. Later, another T-shirt that said "L is for Loser" next to a picture of a male gymnast on the rings gathered publicity. The company stopped selling the shirt in October 2004 after USA Gymnastics
USA Gymnastics
United States of America Gymnastics or USAG is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The mission of USA Gymnastics is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of gymnastics....
president Bob Colarossi announced a boycott of A&F for mocking the sport.
In 2005, the Women and Girls Foundation
Women and Girls Foundation
The ' is an independent, community-based organization serving eleven counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The stated goal of the foundation is to achieve equality for women and girls in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Their efforts include advocacy, coalition building and grantmaking. The CEO of WGF...
of Southwest Pennsylvania launched a "Girlcott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
" of the store to protest the sale of T-shirts displaying sexist messages such as "Who needs brains when you have these?", "Available for parties," and "I had a nightmare I was a brunette." The campaign received national coverage on The Today Show, and the company pulled the shirts from stores on November 5, 2005. Five days after this media coverage, A&F pulled two of the shirts off of its shelves, released an apology to girls for producing the T-shirts, and agreed to have corporate executives meet with the "Girlcott" girls at the company's headquarters.
Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University is a private, for-profit, non-denominational Protestant university in Greenville, South Carolina.The university was founded in 1927 by Bob Jones, Sr. , an evangelist and contemporary of Billy Sunday...
, a non-denominational
Non-denominational Christianity
In Christianity, nondenominational institutions or churches are those not formally aligned with an established denomination, or that remain otherwise officially autonomous. This, however, does not preclude an identifiable standard among such congregations...
Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
university located in Greenville
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, and its affiliated pre-collegiate schools, along with other Christian schools have prohibited A&F and Hollister clothing from being "worn, carried, or displayed" on its campuses because of "an unusual degree of antagonism to the name of Christ and an unusual display of wickedness" in the company's promotions.
After A&F raised its price points in 2004, its products have been described as overpriced. After the company opened its flagship store in London, England, the brand was criticized in the United Kingdom because the merchandise that was offered to the customers cost double (or even a direct $/£ swap) compared to prices found in the U.S.
A T-shirt controversy arose again over A&F's Back-to-School 2009 collection of "humor tees". One shirt proclaims "Show the twins" above a picture of a young woman with her blouse open to two men. Two other shirts state "Female streaking encouraged" and "Female Students Wanted for Sexual Research". The American Family Association
American Family Association
The American Family Association is a 501 non-profit organization that promotes conservative Christian values, such as opposition to same-sex marriage, pornography, and abortion, as well as other public policy goals such as deregulation of the oil industry and lobbying against the Employee Free...
disapproved of the influence of the "sex-as-recreation" lifestyle shirts, and asked the brand to remove its "sexualized shirts" from display.
Renaming of trauma center
In 2008, Nationwide Children's HospitalNationwide Children's Hospital (Columbus)
Nationwide Children’s Hospital is a primary pediatric hospital in Columbus, Ohio, with more than 950 medical staff members and over 6,800 total employees. In recent years, the hospital has been ranked as one the best hospitals in the United States by US News & World Report...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
agreed to rename its emergency room to the Abercrombie & Fitch Emergency Department and Trauma Center in exchange for a $10 million donation. A letter written by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is a "national coalition of health care professionals, educators, advocacy groups, parents, and individuals who care about children [and is] the only national organization devoted to limiting the impact of commercial culture on children." It sponsors the...
, signed by over 100 doctors and children's advocacy groups, argued against the renaming, for the "company's appalling history of targeting children with sexualized marketing and clothing."
Fifth Avenue flagship employees not paid
Upwards of 70 employees at A&F's Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York City were not paid their biweekly paychecks for about a month in March 2010. Fox News reported the issue, and was told by A&F's corporate spokesperson that about 60 or 70 employees were not paid due to a computer glitch. The problem was resolved about 1 month later.U.K. staff prohibited from wearing the Red Poppy
In November 2010, the Southampton, England, Hollister store prevented 18-year-old Harriet Phipps from wearing the Red Poppy, which is worn as part of the Armistice DayArmistice Day
Armistice Day is on 11 November and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day...
commemorations in the United Kingdom every November. Phipps was particularly upset as the commemorations also include those in current active service in Iraq and Afghanistan where both UK and US troops make up the bulk of coalition forces present, and she has a personal friend serving. The official A&F reason for the refusal was reported to be that the poppy is not considered part of the corporate approved uniform, and is therefore prohibited.
However, on November 8 the company posted on its Facebook page the following statement: "As an American company that has been around since 1892, we appreciate the sacrifices of the British and American servicemen/women in the World Wars and in military conflicts that continue today. Our company policy is to allow associates to wear a poppy as a token of this appreciation on Remembrance Day. Going forward, ...we will revisit this policy to the days/weeks leading up to Remembrance Day."
In popular culture
- In the January 25, 1954, episode of I Love LucyI Love LucyI Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
("The Charm School"), Ethel says to Lucy, "Maybe we'd better go down to Abercrombie and Fitch and see if they sell goat-mating calls." - In the 1964 Howard HawksHoward HawksHoward Winchester Hawks was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era...
film, Man's Favorite Sport?Man's Favorite Sport?Man's Favorite Sport? is a 1964 comedy film starring Rock Hudson and Paula Prentiss. Released by Universal Pictures, the movie was directed and produced by Howard Hawks....
, Rock Hudson's character, Roger Willoughby, is an employee at the Abercrombie & Fitch store in San Francisco. - In the 1967 film, Fitzwilly, Dick Van DykeDick Van DykeRichard Wayne "Dick" Van Dyke is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer with a career spanning six decades. He is the older brother of Jerry Van Dyke, and father of Barry Van Dyke...
's character leads a team who steals the Abercrombie & Fitch display at a trade show dressed as A&F employees. - In the 1967 film, BedazzledBedazzled (1967 film)Bedazzled is a 1967 British comedy film directed and produced by Stanley Donen. It was written by and stars Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. It is a comic retelling of the Faust legend, set in the Swinging London of the 1960s...
, Peter CookPeter CookPeter Edward Cook was an English satirist, writer and comedian. An extremely influential figure in modern British comedy, he is regarded as the leading light of the British satire boom of the 1960s. He has been described by Stephen Fry as "the funniest man who ever drew breath," although Cook's...
's character introduces himself as "Mr. Abercrombie" to a "Mrs. Fitch" during a prank phone call, telling her that Mr. Fitch is having an affair with his secretary. - In the 1973 film Cops and Robbers, Tom and Joe tell the gangsters to get an A&F picnic basket to make a money drop. ("Abercrombie and Fitch has a wicker picnic basket it's about 38 bucks with tax it's the only one they have at that price...")
- In the October 23, 1978, episode of M*A*S*H, "None Like It Hot," Hawkeye and B.J. order a canvas bathtub from Abercrombie & Fitch.
- In 1999, the pop-rap group LFOLyte Funky OnesLyte Funky Ones was an American three-man pop/rap group consisting of Rich Cronin , Devin Lima , and Brad Fischetti . Before Lima joined the group in 1999, the third member was Brian Gillis , who was with the group from its start in 1995...
released the hit single "Summer GirlsSummer Girls"Summer Girls" is the title of a song recorded by the pop group LFO. It was released in June 1999 as the lead single from their album, LFO. The song reached the Top 30 in the US in July 1999 and peaked at number three in August 1999....
" whose chorus featured the line "I like girls that wear Abercrombie and Fitch." - In the November 14, 2002, episode of Will & GraceWill & GraceWill & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
("The Needle and the Omelet's Done"Will & Grace (season 5)The fifth season of Will & Grace premiered on September 26, 2002 and concluded on May 15, 2003. It consisted of 24 episodes.- Main cast :* Eric McCormack as Will Truman* Debra Messing as Grace Adler* Megan Mullally as Karen Walker...
), Will thinks he looks "like an Abercrombie & Fitch model" in his tight sleeveless T-shirt. His roommate Grace responds: "Yeah, maybe from when they founded the company." - One of the main characters of the 2010 TV series "Pretty Little LiarsPretty Little LiarsPretty Little Liars is a series of more than 10 young adult novels by Sara Shepard, from 1981–present, which have been made into a television show . The series follows the lives of four girls — Spencer, Hanna, Aria, and Emily — whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their leader,...
" is called Ezra Fitz, as a link to the A&F co-founder Ezra Fitch.
Parody
- Improv EverywhereImprov EverywhereImprov Everywhere is a comedic performance art group based in New York City, formed in 2001 by Charlie Todd. Its slogan is "We Cause Scenes."The group carries out pranks, which they call "missions", in public places...
, a comedy group that pulls public pranks en masse, parodied A&F's ads featuring bare-chested male models by having 111 "agents" enter the A&F store in New York City and remove their shirts. This drew mixed, but mostly amused, reactions from customers and staff, but store security quickly ejected the IE members. - MADtvMADtvMADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
, a sketch comedy television series, parodied A&F's homoerotic advertising images and hiring practices. In these skits, three Abercrombie & Fitch Employees are depicted as vain, vapid, unhelpful, and overly coifed uptight men with names like "Carpenter", "Dutch", "Cougar", "Turtle", and "Storm". They also participate in sports such as waterpolo, crew, swimteam, lacrosse, rugby, skiing, and squash. However, in one sketch, a young woman named "Apple" (Alanis MorissetteAlanis MorissetteAlanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
) reminds the male employees that Abercrombie is also about "girls with sun-kissed skin and medium sized breasts who get together at dawn to play topless flag football." - MADMad (TV series)MAD is an American animated sketch comedy series created by Kevin Shinick and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Based upon the magazine of the same name, each episode is a collection of short animated parodies of television shows, movies, games, celebrities and other media using various types of...
, an animated sketch comedy television series, parodied A&F in a commercial advertising the store called Aberzombie & Stitch. - 6teen6teen6teen is a Canadian animated sitcom, which premiered in Canada in 2004 on Teletoon. In the USA, 6teen first premiered on Nickelodeon on December 18, 2005 and was removed from the schedule on May 13, 2006 before being removed completely in 2007 before the series' run could be completed. 6teen was...
, an animated comedy, parodied A&F with a fictional store called AlbatrossAlbatrossAlbatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds allied to the procellariids, storm-petrels and diving-petrels in the order Procellariiformes . They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific...
& FinchFinchThe true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
. The employees there are portrayed as attractive snobs. Despite their huge egos and jerky attitude, Caitlin enjoys shopping there. - Wizards of Waverly PlaceWizards of Waverly PlaceWizards of Waverly Place is a Disney Channel Original Series that premiered on October 12, 2007. It won "Outstanding Children's Program" at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards in 2009...
, a Disney ChannelDisney ChannelDisney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
show, has an episode where Alex RussoAlex RussoAlexandra Margarita "Alex" Russo is the main protagonist of the Disney Channel sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place, portrayed by Selena Gomez. As the middle child and only daughter, she is sly, outgoing, and sometimes rude to her family and friends. Alex usually underachieves when it comes to school...
says she often purchases items from an Abercrombie & Witch catalog. - Cloudy with a Chance of MeatballsCloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (film)Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a 2009 American computer-animated family comedy film, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, distributed by Columbia Pictures, and released on September 18, 2009. The film is loosely based on the children's book of the same name by Judi and Ron Barrett.The film...
, an animated CGI film, parodied A&F with a fictional store called Bibs. The films commentary track mentions it being based on the A&F store on the 3rd Street Promenade in downtown Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
. - In The RockerThe Rocker"The Rocker" is a song by Irish rock group Thin Lizzy, included on their 1973 album Vagabonds of the Western World. It was also released as a single in a 2:41 edited format, the original album track stretching to 5:17, most of the extra length being taken up by an extended guitar solo by Eric Bell...
, a film that follows the storey of fictional band ADD, the band is forced to fire their drummer, and when they are given a new preppy drummer by the recording company, they say that it is "like Abercrombie and Fitch are making people now" - The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, an animated comedy, parodied A&F with a store called Abercrombie & Fish in the episode "The Squirt and the WhaleThe Squirt and the Whale"The Squirt and the Whale" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons twenty-first season, which premiered on the Fox network on April 25, 2010 as the 460th episode for the series overall. In the episode, the Simpson family attempt to save a beached whale that washed up onshore, only for it to...
", and in the episode "'Tis the Fifteenth Season'Tis the Fifteenth SeasonTis the Fifteenth Season is the seventh episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. This episode is notable as being the first to make reference to Lisa's Buddhism, to which she converted in an earlier Christmas episode, "She of Little Faith".-Plot:...
" it was called Abercrombie & Rich. - Glen Martin DDS, an animated comedy, parodied A&F with a fictional store called Aberfitch & Crombie. The employee there was portrayed as an attractive and shirtless young male. The character Glen Martin made a reference stating that he demanded to speak to Mr. Aberfitch but would settle for Dr. Crombie when he was asked to vacate the establishment.
- Vampires SuckVampires SuckVampires Suck is a 2010 vampire spoof film based on the Twilight film series and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. It stars Jenn Proske, Matt Lanter, Christopher N...
, Jacob (wolf) takes his shirt off "I work halftime for Abercrombie & Fitch."
See also
- Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange (A)Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange (A)-A:...
- Lifestyle brandLifestyle brandA lifestyle brand is a brand that attempts to embody the values and aspirations of a group or culture for purposes of marketing.Each individual has an identity based on their choices, experiences, and background...
External links
- abercrombie.com, the company's official website