Abercrombie and Fitch does not want their brand on fat people

[SpartanMommy]

I can't remember the last time I saw anyone wearing A&F. I am not in high school anymore (thankfully!!) and haven't been for a little over a decade, but I don't think that is was the "cool kids" wear anymore. At least not around here.

Oh, and I am not surprised by the CEO's statement. They have always been like this! Just one of the reasons that I despise the company.

 

[eliza61]

I kind of agree.

(K, now I'm going to run away so I don't get jumped on)

There is a huge difference it targeting a particular sector and imply that all others outside of the target are not acceptable.

Can you imagine if Disney's CEO came out and said, well our rides are marketed for the "cool" people. You know the families who have cute kids and many friends. Those are the people we want, the people who like spiderman, well we'd rather not have you in our parks. Would you kinda agree that was ok. or better yet, our parks are really only designed for people sizes xs-l?

 

[VandVsmom]

Here is another article about Mike Jeffries

http://abcnews.go.com/US/lawsuit-ou...jeffries-rules/story?id=17519006#.UYpCEJVZNvc

Well really, after reading this article it is obvious that the man is completely insane. Some kind of narcisstic megalomanic with a proclivity to the young, male form. He'd make a wonderful ancient Greek tryant.

My girls are almost old enough to be interested in A&F. Hopfully they will be out of business before it becomes relevant to me. I could also tell them how much my sister loved their stuff back in the day. That should scare them away.

 

[Colleen27]

I can't remember the last time I saw anyone wearing A&F. I am not in high school anymore (thankfully!!) and haven't been for a little over a decade, but I don't think that is was the "cool kids" wear anymore. At least not around here.

Around here it is a middle school thing. By high school the kids seem to differentiate trends from taste a little better and there's a lot more variety in styles of dress among the "popular" kids. But in middle school it is like a uniform - everything must be A&F, Hollister, or Aeropostale. That might be part of the reason for their runs-small sizing, come to think of it - because if you're marketing to 6th grade girls you're going to get a lot higher 'cool factor' by telling them they're "grown up" enough for juniors sizing than by trying to sell them the same styles in girls sizes.

 

[Tinkermommy]

I don't think it is obvious that people who are not very fit or thin (and in the case of some of their sizing it sounds like sizing that could be unhealthy-thin on many was readily available) or are not white are not cool?! Nor do I think it is obvious that a store whose sizes fit thinner frames is saying that by making clothing that fits that frame.

All smart companies have a well defined Target Market. Demographics, personality traits, habits, etc should be known and taken into consideration. They should know down to what type of breakfast their customers eat (kidding, sort of).

That does not mean that their CEO should spout how they only want "cool" kids to the public. He would have been much better saying they cater to "young, fit, trend-focused, highly-social consumers to whom style and image are important."

Thankfully my DD doesn't like them (too boring) but I decided a long time ago that I would not shop there. I think they sexualize children.

 

[Lorelei Lee]

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.

They start with size 00, so a 10 in A&F is actually closer to a 12 or 14.

 

[Lorelei Lee]

All smart companies have a well defined Target Market. Demographics, personality traits, habits, etc should be known and taken into consideration. They should know down to what type of breakfast their customers eat (kidding, sort of).

That does not mean that their CEO should spout how they only want "cool" kids to the public. He would have been much better saying they cater to "young, fit, trend-focused, highly-social consumers to whom style and image are important."

Exactly.

 

[mjkacmom]

I agree the styles don't change - the only clothes I've been able to hand down from dd16 to dd12/dd10 is A&F. I only shop clearance for bottoms for dd12 and dd10, only because they are VERY skinny, and the bottoms fit well (especially sweatpants, which they can never wear in other brands).

I think this new marketing is really dumb - anyone who has every shopped there knows that only thin people can wear the clothing! No need to insult the rest of us. However, they are one of the few brands left that doesn't do dummy sizing. Back when I got married, I weighed 125 (5'8"). My wedding dress was an 8 or 10, and fit me perfectly, no alterations. I think I wore a size 6 in regular clothes, and would've been a 4 in today's sizing. Wedding dresses weren't dummy sized then (not sure if they are now).

 

[mjkacmom]

I'm not happy about what the CEO said. I don't think it's ever nice to pick on kids. That being said I won't stop shopping there. It's one of the few stores where my tiny 13yo can find teen clothing that fits her. She also shops at Aeropostle and wears an XS in both stores. All the other teen stores are sized way too big for her.

I was overweight as a teen and remember what it was like not to be able to find clothes that were stylish. I now have a child at the other end of the size spectrum and my priority now is to her. My DD isn't some snotty, clothes horse teen. She's simply a sweet 13 yo that just wants to dress her age and not like a little kid.

There are plenty of other popular teen stores that carry clothing for larger kids. Heck, as a grown woman I've bought some basics in some teen stores in a size small.

It's so hard to find clothes for dd12, and she loves fashion! I knew this was going to be an issue around this age. I bought her 6th grade dance dress at Nordstroms months ago, knowing I couldn't wait until the last minute. Most of her friends are shopping in the junior department - she weighs 65 pounds, a medium in childrens. Dresses in her size are particularly babyish.

 

[LisaInNc]

My sister has met him in person she managed a high volume American Eagle store and he came it with an entourage. She said he was rude and really arrogant. Maybe he didn't think she was one of the cool kids

Lisa

 

[gwynne]

Kids and parents probably need to have a frank discussion about this. If it's no big deal to the kids, then the parents will have to decide where they stand.

I won't be gifting their products anymore.

 

[Poohforyou]

It's so hard to find clothes for dd12, and she loves fashion! I knew this was going to be an issue around this age. I bought her 6th grade dance dress at Nordstroms months ago, knowing I couldn't wait until the last minute. Most of her friends are shopping in the junior department - she weighs 65 pounds, a medium in childrens. Dresses in her size are particularly babyish.

My 13yo is about 72lb and wearing a large in childrens. She hates pink, sparkles and floral so that eliminates a lot in childrens clothes.

She's actually had some luck with junior dresses. We've found a few size 1 with sashes that she can wrap around her waist twice and I put darts in the back of the top that her long hair hides.

 

[ols386]

That CEO is an idiot for making that statement.

I'm sure some folks will still shop there, and that's fine, it's their choice, but the CEO sure didn't send out a good message.

 

[Arielle22]

It's so hard to find clothes for dd12, and she loves fashion! I knew this was going to be an issue around this age. I bought her 6th grade dance dress at Nordstroms months ago, knowing I couldn't wait until the last minute. Most of her friends are shopping in the junior department - she weighs 65 pounds, a medium in childrens. Dresses in her size are particularly babyish.

At one point my older DD was still in children sizing and upset about it. At the same time my younger DD (who outgrew her sister around age 4) was upset because she had to shop in juniors. What a fun shopping trip that was!

Older DD is now 5'4" and 105 lbs. She can still fit in XL children shirts.

 

[mnrose]

This thinking is, in part, the reason the so many of our daughters struggle with image disorders, some of them dangerously so. My 13 year old DD is now a recovering anorexic....coming off 3 weeks of hospital treatment (dangerously dehydrated and malnourished) in her ridiculous quest to get to a size 0 or even smaller. She's 5'7" tall....a healthy weight for her frame will NEVER permit her to wear a size 0. Unfortunately, to her, even a size 2 sounds "big" and "fat." This CEO is helping to reinforce the concept that if you aren't "thin" you aren't "cool."

My daughter IS thin....by any rational measure. But, the voices in her head, combined with those like this idjit, tell her something very different.

Makes me SO angry. Girls are dying because of this thought process. I hope he's happy.

 

[TinkerBelled]

Around here it is a middle school thing. By high school the kids seem to differentiate trends from taste a little better and there's a lot more variety in styles of dress among the "popular" kids. But in middle school it is like a uniform - everything must be A&F, Hollister, or Aeropostale. That might be part of the reason for their runs-small sizing, come to think of it - because if you're marketing to 6th grade girls you're going to get a lot higher 'cool factor' by telling them they're "grown up" enough for juniors sizing than by trying to sell them the same styles in girls sizes.

This is right on the money. Their customer base isn't teens, it's tweens. And nothing makes a tween feel more grownup and cool than by telling her she's wearing what only the popular 17-year-olds are wearing.

Yes, equating popularity with being rich, thin and white is a pretty nasty thing to do. But then again, middle school is just about the meanest place on earth, so the CEO should fit in pretty well with his target customer base.

 

[Minerva Mouse]

Wow!

 

[2DisPrincesses]

He is scary looking!!!

 

[taylor3297]

This thinking is, in part, the reason the so many of our daughters struggle with image disorders, some of them dangerously so. My 13 year old DD is now a recovering anorexic....coming off 3 weeks of hospital treatment (dangerously dehydrated and malnourished) in her ridiculous quest to get to a size 0 or even smaller. She's 5'7" tall....a healthy weight for her frame will NEVER permit her to wear a size 0. Unfortunately, to her, even a size 2 sounds "big" and "fat." This CEO is helping to reinforce the concept that if you aren't "thin" you aren't "cool."

My daughter IS thin....by any rational measure. But, the voices in her head, combined with those like this idjit, tell her something very different.

Makes me SO angry. Girls are dying because of this thought process. I hope he's happy.

You and your family have a long road ahead and I pray that things work out for your daughter.

My dd who is 10 has made comments about being thin. I always asks her, what does it matter? It scares me as to what girls at school are saying.

 

[FireDancer]

BTW...has anyone seen a picture of A & F CEO Mike Jeffries? He's pretty scary.

I just google image searched Mike Jeffries. Dude's crossed that all important line in plastic surgery.

He is scary looking!!!

Oh the irony.