Once upon a time, lured by the strapping young models in their preppy arcadia, I subscribed to the Abercrombie & Fitch aesthetic–or tried to–until I increasingly realized that its unapologetic vision didn’t include me. I gave it up a long time ago, but this article in Salon profiling A&F’s CEO totally cements it: “The Man Behind Abercrombie & Fitch” (link via Tin Man).
As far as [Mike] 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. Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla. You don’t alienate anybody, but you don’t excite anybody, either.”
Yes, every company has a target demographic, but instead of feeling aspirational (“you’ll look good wearing our clothes”), I find A&F demotivational (“you have to look good to wear our clothes”). See also Gawker for a follow-up with the author of the Salon piece, Benoit Denizet-Lewis.
Another peeve: using “all-American” in reference to looks. In that context, doesn’t “all-American” really mean white (and thus “ideal”)? Ooh, I’m getting all Angry Asian Man.
9 replies on “A&F, undressed”
The thing I’ve always hated about Aberzombie is their unapologetic attempt to get me to advertise for them. Sure, Levi’s all have that little red tag, and Izod has that dang alligator. But somehow that seems different than having “ABERCROMBIE” in 200-point font emblazoned across your chest (on every single piece of clothing they make). They should have to pay me to advertise for them. (Though I’m pretty sure I’m not the type of person they’re looking for either.)
Full disclosure: I do go into to the stores to ogle the posters though. But I’ve never bought anything.
Heh: “Ooh, I’m getting all Angry Asian Man.” Totally should be phrase of the week.
whoa. i met Benoit Denizet-Lewis when i was in high school. it’s so weird to see his name popping up everywhere.
Yes, I must admit that I feel a little guilty wearing A&F clothes, because I have heard many bad things about the A&F culture, their body-elitism, their racism (and maybe worst of all, their hypocritical homophobia). But here I am today wearing another pair of their jeans, and my (Filipino) assistant is wearing one of their t-shirts and jackets.
Their jeans look good on me (despite the fact that a friend of mine told me that I was ‘too old’ to wear their clothes, I get compliments when I do); they fit and look much better than Levi’s or GAP. And at least their logos on the jeans are tiny.
At least I stopped buying their shameless ‘magazine.’ They do have African-american guys; I don’t see why they couldn’t have some buff Asian guys (calling ‘Mischievious Boys!’) in there.
The irony here is that Mike Jeffries himself is horribly ugly, and if he were walking by an A&F store in Valley Fair Mall like I sometimes do, he’d get the same disdain from the obnoxiously elitist high school brats who guard the door that I do.
His is angry, isn’t he?
A and F are in a niche market. Leave them there (in the niche). Some of us are too old (grown up) anyway.
BTW You don’t have to look very far to find hot Asian Americans. But I’m commenting on the blog of one!
Asian-Australians are interesting too. I should know, I love and live with one.
I posted on this too, b/c it is so OTT. You are being diplomatic here – the man is a complete psychotic (look at those fake cheekbones!) who is now inflicting his psychosis on consumers. The look is Aryan – THAT’S what the look is.
Sometimes those blonds *are* cute, BUT (to quote Beautiful South), “When blond and blond are multipled / They become so dull and dutiful”
What a piece of work he is. I admit I enjoy walking by the A&F store and seeing the posters in the window. Personally, I know their clothes won’t look good on me, so I don’t go in. However, to blatantly say basically, “If you are not good looking, don’t buy our clothes” means I won’t even go there to buy my nephews their clothes anymore either.
I’ve never liked A&F–but then I’m all for liberation from non-wearable clothing (ya hear that, Project Runway?!?!)
(Not that I *don’t* like Project Runway)
Anyway, I am not a stick insect. Deal with it!
ps. Jeff: I didn’t know that one blog was Jesse Oxfeld’s. Go Card! 😉
pps. Look! internet access! :):)