The Creepy Man behind Abercrombie and Fitch

[PrinceOfCats]

He's buffed out, perfectly tanned and manicured, old money, and tells sh*tty jokes about women; in short, the perfect Abercrombie & Fitch uber-WASP:

amazon.com

 

[rainglow]

What a character! I don't think he'll have a great succes with his expansions in Europe..Thanks for the article poesy

I have to disagree - kids in Ireland are OBSESSED with Abercrombie, and I see a lot of kids wearing it in the UK too. Every single college student that spends their summer working in America comes back with suitcases full of A&F (AE also to a lesser extent) and college campuses are awash in it. They even order the clothes off the website, despite the high prices and customs charges.

It's "stylish", comfortable clothing at a high price. This is perfect for college kids who want to wear the expensive slob look (people on campus in no way dress up here), which A&F itself markets as "casual luxury". From a business point of view, the man is a genius. I'd sure as hell buy shares in that company because its popularity doesn't seem to be heading downhill, regardless of what you may think of the clothes from a fashion point of view.

 

[sirene]

I keep coming back here just to read all the great stuff you guys are saying.

 

[Kimkhuu]

He really made a brand at a level of his self image.... : self centered....

 

[Phaeton]

I have to disagree - kids in Ireland are OBSESSED with Abercrombie, and I see a lot of kids wearing it in the UK too. Every single college student that spends their summer working in America comes back with suitcases full of A&F (AE also to a lesser extent) and college campuses are awash in it. They even order the clothes off the website, despite the high prices and customs charges.

It's "stylish", comfortable clothing at a high price. This is perfect for college kids who want to wear the expensive slob look (people on campus in no way dress up here), which A&F itself markets as "casual luxury". From a business point of view, the man is a genius. I'd sure as hell buy shares in that company because its popularity doesn't seem to be heading downhill, regardless of what you may think of the clothes from a fashion point of view.

I agree. I can't believe how popular this stuff has stayed over the years, especially considering they are selling to the same market. It's not like they were preppy first, but then transitioned into being an urban or gangster look like some labels have. It's always just been middle-class mostly white kids for almost 10 years now.

I'm not really familiar with highschool trends pre-1994 grunge look, but I don't think brands like Espirit or Guess ever had this long of a run, and Tommy Hilfiger certainly didn't.

And what does it say about the aesthetic values of this segment of culture that it is always these utilitarian outdoors/sportswear companies that end up turning fashionable among young people. Now I see 13 year old girls in North Face jackets with ill-fitting tapered fleece sleeves everywhere I go.

 

[Pastry]

a new a&f store opened at a mall nearby here....

you should have seen the masses of 13 and 14-year olds going nuts

this company is crap...it makes me so mad i can't even...just

 

[sasscam]

PrinceOfCats]He's buffed out, perfectly tanned and manicured, old money, and tells sh*tty jokes about women; in short, the perfect Abercrombie & Fitch uber-WASP:

 

[fixoid]

http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2006/01/24/jeffries/index_np.html

link to the original for those that asked

 

[Guessgirl96]

I never liked AF just becuase it's not my style, but this is just scary

I wouldn't be surrpised if he was the uncoolest kid in school and that somehow tramatized him for life cuasing all these phsycological problems.

 

[GalleriaResident]

This guy is F*cking WIERD!! The "campus" what a wierdo, he wants to be 18 for life. Probably j/o's to AF catalogs, he wants the brand to be a youth obsessed cult. An I was gonna get some new jeans there, now I dont wanna go there.

 

[yourbestfriend]

a new a&f store opened at a mall nearby here....

you should have seen the masses of 13 and 14-year olds going nuts

this company is crap...it makes me so mad i can't even...just

Oh no, Canada now too?

 

[CharlottefromCA]

I'm with the poster who said they started disliking logos because of A&F.. I used to wear their clothes early in my high school years.. but then I grew up.. and its a part of the reason why I hate wearing logoed out shirts.. I hate being branded like a cow.. "Look at me I'm so cool!"... I have nothing against people who wear A&F and they have some nice things here and there, overall nothing you can't find anywhere else though. I'm just totally turned off by the brand for various reasons and this totally helped solidify my feelings.

 

[J'aime_la_mode]

Wow this article definetly ensures that I will never buy anything from abercrombie or hollister ever again! But one thing Iv always liked about the abercrombie and hollister stores is the atmoshere, the smell and the way it looks like a litle beach house. Also the music playing in hollister is always really great, sometimes when im at the mall, ill go in just for the music. This guys a genius in that sense. Nobody else really has the amazing store atmosphere that he has. With such unstylish clothes, iv always wondered why so many of my peers will do anything to buy a tacky ill fitting shirt with the logo prined on the front....this article helped me realize they dont so much love the clothes, they love the lifestlye they are buying into.

 

[DP_woman]

Why does everyone hate A&F, just out of curiousity?

Maybe this will answer your question:

Originally Posted by poesy

That's why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don't market to anyone other than that."

As far as Jeffries is concerned, America's unattractive, overweight or otherwise undesirable teens can shop elsewhere. "In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids," he says. "Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.

 

[Hipkitten]

That's why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don't market to anyone other than that."

As far as Jeffries is concerned, America's unattractive, overweight or otherwise undesirable teens can shop elsewhere. "In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids," he says. "Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.

That just makes me sick. How could anyone buy into this BS?!

 

[Kimkhuu]

^ sad sad isn't it?

Pity to those who get brainwashed into buying this...

 

[CharlottefromCA]

^ sad sad isn't it?

Pity to those who get brainwashed into buying this...

I know!!.. which unfortunately is a good amount of an entire generation

 

[Fabulyss]

OH MY GOD PRINCE OF CATS! Thats the first thing that came to my mind as well: American Psycho! A real life Patrick Bateman indeed.

You know I find this all quite ironic and humurous in the same way that American Psycho was. The people who buy into this brand and it's image are pathetic, vapid, superficial, and souless yet they think they 'have it all'.

Thanks for posting by the way, very intriguing and disturbing read.

 

[ultramarine]

Yesterday I was watching this TV show on the Cartoon Network named "6teen" .. one of the characters got a job on this store which was obviously referring to A&F .. the guy had to be shirtless and one of his friends wanted to buy an outfit just as the salesgirls and they said no because she wasnt cool enough!

As well ... the manager advise the guy to ignore the customers and such ... we have A&F here ... and I NEVER entered one when I traveled to the US ... this stories are just un-believable!

 

[Pastry]

Oh no, Canada now too?

unfortunately, ybf..ang get this...the a&F opening was followed by a hollister one...

i really do have strong feelings about this.....i find many young people like myslef criticise designer prices.."people should feel guilty for bying a $2000 jacekt!"...what i have to say to that, is many designer brands have a way with quality and style, the clothes appeal to the heart...

..in the case of a&F and co, it's pure brainwashing.....how can you be excited for overpriced american eagle?!