Abercrombie and Fitch does not want their brand on fat people

[S. C.]

Well, we might just be the parents of those All American kids they're looking for. Do you think tweens and teens buy all of their own clothes?

Furthermore, I am neither Catholic, nor African-American, nor wheelchair bound, but if someone said Catholics or African Americans or people in wheelchairs will never be attractive or popular, I would boycott that company, too.

Well said!

 

[declansdad]

It just depends on the thread and I just don't care about this guy one way or the other.

If that how you justify your comments, good for you.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

This is the same company that 11 years ago was selling inappropriately provocative underwear to little girls. I've never step foot in the place.

http://money.cnn.com/2002/05/22/news/companies/abercrombie/

 

[marcyinPA]

Anyone remember shopping at the 3-5-7 store in the 80s?
They carried three sizes: 3, 5 and 7.

I do remember that girls wanted to shop there, and it was something of a status symbol to have a shopping bag with the 3-5-7 logo to carry your gym clothes or clothes for an overnight.

Remember, too, the saying: No publicity is bad publicity.
For every person who says, "How offensive! I will never spend a penny in that store!", you could find someone else -- probably a teenager -- who'd think, "Oooh, exclusive! I want that!"

I remember the 5-7-9 Shop in the late 80's. I guess girls got fatter at the end of the decade.

I never shopped there- I was about an 11. Huge.

 

[skylizard]

I just saw this on the news this morning. I don't care for A&F, especially since I don't fit in them. I know they've been struggling for the past few years and maybe this is their last ditch attempt to gain some publicity and boost sales. I just don't think they'll last much longer. They're pissing off a lot of people and are going to lose a lot of customers by saying the things that they've said.

 

[peyjax]

I remember the 5-7-9 Shop in the late 80's. I guess girls got fatter at the end of the decade.

I never shopped there- I was about an 11. Huge.

I so remember that store and I remember being irritated when I went up to an 11 and grew out of it. I was so upset that my much older size 0 sisters could still shop there. I was so happy when it went out of business. Stinking store.

As for the Abercrombie guy, I am not sure why he made that comment. There was no need to say it. It was obvious when you shopped there. I stopped shopping there when I hit my mid 20's. His comments were offensive and ridiculous. "pretty" people? please! so all skinny people are pretty? who exactly determines that?

Frustrating, as my elementary son loves the softness of their clothes and I do agree they hold up very well and when I can get polos on sale for $12 that is a good deal. Now I will be embarrassed when he wears those clothes. Well he is pretty after all.

 

[FireDancer]

If that how you justify your comments, good for you.

Justify which comment? The no comment I have about the guy's appearance or weight?

 

[declansdad]

Justify which comment? The no comment I have about the guy's appearance or weight?

You say it depends on the thread but on every other thread that has had a discussion of weight and obesity you have had no problem expressing what you think of people that are obese. But if you say it depends on the thread, good for you.

 

[FireDancer]

You say it depends on the thread but on every other thread that has had a discussion of weight and obesity you have had no problem expressing what you think of people that are obese. But if you say it depends on the thread, good for you.

This thread isn't about obesity or weight. It is about whether or not the CEO of a publicly traded company should or shouldn't state so boldly their opinion on their target market and those who don't fit that target. It is also apparently about the appropriateness of kids wearing thongs.

Target thin people, target fat people, say only thin people are cool, say only fat people are cool. If the CEO of a company wants to disparage those not in their target market go for it. I may not shop there because of it but they should say what they think. I'd much rather hear blunt (and even mean) honesty than have them hide behind politically correct PR speak. The market will ultimately decide if they should or shouldn't express their opinion so bluntly.

 

[Planogirl]

This guy is shallow but I support a business' right to market to whoever they please. I also support people deciding to not shop there particularly when they purposely exclude any group.

They are far from the only shop with this mindset. Wrong or right, any of the more exclusive shops and designers are like this. Part of the problem is that Abercrombie doesn't fit in with that group.

 

[FireDancer]

They are far from the only shop with this mindset. Wrong or right, any of the more exclusive shops and designers are like this. Part of the problem is that Abercrombie doesn't fit in with that group.

Exactly. I'd much rather a company be honest and just say it than hide behind a PR firm and pretend no one notices what they are doing. We claim that we want honesty yet get angry when that honesty doesn't line up with our opinions.

Take Chick-Fil-A for example. I don't agree with their stance on homosexuality at all and won't shop there but I respect them much more for not hiding it than companies that behind the scenes hold the same beliefs but paper over it or pretend to be different in public.

Just my opinion.

 

[palmbeachmom]

As a former Merchant myself, I think this guy thought he was just playing to his target customer, which, bottom line is what drives business. If you wore A&F, you probably secretly loved hearing someone refer to you as "cool and popular". As a parent of a teen, I find his comments odious and disgusting, and I'm very glad my "fit, attractive, cool" boy never cared about labels and would happily wear whatever, as long as it's comfortable and he liked it.

Also as a parent, I think that kind of crap feeds into the whole "mean kid" philosophy that seems to dominate today's youth, and I find it pretty pathetic an adult, even one who runs a successful company, would say something like that

 

[FergieTCat]

As a former Merchant myself, I think this guy thought he was just playing to his target customer, which, bottom line is what drives business. If you wore A&F, you probably secretly loved hearing someone refer to you as "cool and popular". As a parent of a teen, I find his comments odious and disgusting, and I'm very glad my "fit, attractive, cool" boy never cared about labels and would happily wear whatever, as long as it's comfortable and he liked it.

Also as a parent, I think that kind of crap feeds into the whole "mean kid" philosophy that seems to dominate today's youth, and I find it pretty pathetic an adult, even one who runs a successful company, would say something like that

I completely agree.

My original thought was "There are plenty of labels that don't cater to plus sizes, so why would I care about A&F?". Then I realized that I'm an adult and my mentality is much different than a kid in high school trying to fit in.

If he's in this much need of publicity, I hope this backfires on this jerk.

 

[declansdad]

This thread isn't about obesity or weight. It is about whether or not the CEO of a publicly traded company should or shouldn't state so boldly their opinion on their target market and those who don't fit that target. It is also apparently about the appropriateness of kids wearing thongs.

Target thin people, target fat people, say only thin people are cool, say only fat people are cool. If the CEO of a company wants to disparage those not in their target market go for it. I may not shop there because of it but they should say what they think. I'd much rather hear blunt (and even mean) honesty than have them hide behind politically correct PR speak. The market will ultimately decide if they should or shouldn't express their opinion so bluntly.

I'm not talking about the CEOs statements but rather the comment that you didn't care about his weight. He can make whatever stupid comment he wants.

The issue I brought up is the simple comment that you don't care about his weight yet every other time weight is brought up in a thread you come in guns blazing and often are not very sympathetic. It is just a different turn for you.

 

[FergieTCat]

Deleted because it was too sarcastic, even for me.

If I'm requoted before I deleted the comment, then so be it.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Deleted because it was too sarcastic, even for me.

If I'm requoted before I deleted the comment, then so be it.

 

[Sparkly]

This whole mess reminds me of a huge controversy on Neopets back in 2006. They introduced a sponsor game for a brand of drinks called Le Tea that involved you catching bottles of the drinks to become thinner, earning points and avoiding other items which caused you to become fatter and lose points! Needless to say, it was pulled within a few months.

 

[disneydee6]

Didn't read through the whole thread, but I figured that an A&F thread would arise after yesterdays comments the CEO made. Are you kidding me??? This guy needs to get a reality check. He caters to "cool kids" because his brand is "exclusive." A&F is EXPENSIVE and caters to the kids that can afford it, or at least, the parents willing to pay for it. And talk about vanilla?? The clothes still look the same as when I was in high school (about 10 years ago!)

His tone and elitist POV is just like a teenage 'cool' kid who believes they are too special to be associating with people beneath them. You are a CEO of a company. Be diplomatic, and I am very happy I never spent my money in that overpriced store.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

People have known all along that Abercrombie does not sell plus sized clothing. That's not the issue. It's what the man said, that is. If the plus sized store CEOs said that they only sell plus sized clothing because people who wear smaller sizes are not attractive or popular and could never be, then I'd feel the same way.

Also, for me, stopping at size 10 is ridiculous. There are many fit girls and women who wear above a size ten, but who are not in plus sizes.

But a size 10 today is really not a true size 10, it's more like an old sized 14/16, and once you get into size 18, that was Women's Department. So I can understand them stopping at 10.

The first time I realized there was something hinky with today's sizing was when my neighbor's daughter was going to a 70's Disco Party. I had an old never worn outfit that I let her wear. It was a two piece halter top and pants. It was a size 11 (junior) and it was snug on her. She wears a size 4 and is 5'9".

When I could fit into this outfit , I was 5'8" and weighed 128 lbs.

 

[momto2girls]

Eh, the CEO is an idiot, but he is far from the only CEO/marketing team using this strategy. He just was stupid to verbalize it.

A&F is one of the popular brands here among the late elementary and middle school kids. My daughters wear it (A&F Kids for my younger and regular A&F for my older). The shorts and pants/jeans fit my skinny minnie younger daughter really well. I can't see us boycotting the store over these comments. I buy what fits my girls well and what they like, and I don't get worked up over the marketing strategy of the company. I certainly support everyone else's right to do so however.