Abercrombie and Fitch does not want their brand on fat people

[Jey12]

They can target whomever they choose, but having their CEO all but say, "girls over a certain size are not now, nor ever will be cool. Boys are a different story, though." is what sticks in a lot of folks craw here.

They are not trying to campaign against obesity, or promote healthier lifestyles, they are saying if girls do not fit a certain, small ideal, they are less worthy/desirable/cool than those who do fit that.

And, I don't agree with that idea. I will target my money to other companies who do not spout those kinds of ideas.

This is my issue and as the mom of a soon to be tween in an area where A&F is a popular brand for the tween set, they are losing out on part of their target customer base. Since my child uses my money to buy her clothes, and I don't want my money spent there.

Plus what is this guy thinking? They won't carry a size XL shirt for women? How many women are thin everywhere else but on top? Meaning the "girls" force you to wear a size bigger shirt than you may need. I wasn't aware that having large tata's was uncool in middle and high school?

Either way it's the message being sent and not the sizes of clothing in the store that's my issue.

 

[penn19]

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

If the comments by this CEO didn't hurt the company 7 years ago when he made them they won't now. I have a feeling the people offended by them aren't their target market anyway so they don't care if they shop there or not. Heck, they explicitly told them not to shop there.

And that pretty much sums it up.

 

[POOHsie]

I'm a slightly-pooh-sized mom. My DD, happily, was a regular size 8 and she never cared for A&F and Hollister. But if that had been her choice for clothes when she was a teen, how could I (fat, lazy, etc.) be allowed to enter the premises? I would only be there to pay for everything with my hard-earned money, but my physical attributes surely would be revolting. Was there a secret slot I could pass my money through, while remaining safely outside the store?

 

[Liberty Belle]

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

If the comments by this CEO didn't hurt the company 7 years ago when he made them they won't now. I have a feeling the people offended by them aren't their target market anyway so they don't care if they shop there or not. Heck, they explicitly told them not to shop there.

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.

 

[superme80]

I'm a slightly-pooh-sized mom. My DD, happily, was a regular size 8 and she never cared for A&F and Hollister. But if that had been her choice for clothes when she was a teen, how could I (fat, lazy, etc.) be allowed to enter the premises? I would only be there to pay for everything with my hard-earned money, but my physical attributes surely would be revolting. Was there a secret slot I could pass my money through, while remaining safely outside the store?

You are supposed to give your credit card to your little princess and let her charge up a storm.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Wow. That CEO sounds like someone trying to be cool now that he's middle aged because he missed out on being cool in high school and got swirlie after swirlie and dumped in the trash can. But for his feeble attempt at coming across as hip and edgy, he came across as lame or worse, a total jerk.

As for his company, we've never shopped there and never will. So they're not going to lose a dime from us. Paying triple what the thing is worth just because it's supposed to be hip and edgy isn't our cup of tea. I know they've had problems with discrimination issues and problems with making their employees buy sets of clothes from them to work there. So all the more reason not to shop there.

He's actually teetering on the edge of elderly.

 

[LisaInNc]

I can remember Liz Clairborne being the hot thing in the 80's and she said she would NEVER do plus sized clothing....until she did.

Let's face it companies target their demographic. I think of J Crew in corporate meeting they HAVE to be talking about "their client". Whate House Black Market has a very specific demographic just look at their commercials. Coldwater Creek probably would not sell a thong for any reason....their client is a little different.

Until they refuse to sell their clothing to an "uncool kid" there is really no issue EXCEPT for the fact that the CEO was too stupid to keep his mouth shut.

Lisa

 

[Talking Hands]

Fine by me but you can be sure that I won't be shopping there for my super skinny grandson either.

 

[Colleen27]

Seriously? While I wouldn't suggest that a child wear red underwear under white pants, I also wouldn't worry about panty lines in 5th grade! It's a little too "I see London! I see France!" for me.

I'm not really thinking about everyday clothes - my daughter doesn't wear anything where normal underwear would create a pantylines issue in everyday life. But when it comes to sports that changes, and I don't care how old the girls are, regular underwear under the (too thin IMO) baseball pants isn't a good look. It calls attention to the girls' butts just as surely as if they had writing there, IMO. And yes, even white underwear show. Flesh-tone underwear, thongs, boy shorts, or athletic (compression type) shorts are all ways to avoid that issue and I really don't get attaching deeper meaning or judgment to one when people wouldn't bat an eye at the others.

 

[happygirl]

I have a feeling they might reverse this stance

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I have a feeling they might reverse this stance

How? What's said has been clearly said...

 

[Wendy31]

I can remember Liz Clairborne being the hot thing in the 80's and she said she would NEVER do plus sized clothing....until she did.

Let's face it companies target their demographic. I think of J Crew in corporate meeting they HAVE to be talking about "their client". Whate House Black Market has a very specific demographic just look at their commercials. Coldwater Creek probably would not sell a thong for any reason....their client is a little different.

Until they refuse to sell their clothing to an "uncool kid" there is really no issue EXCEPT for the fact that the CEO was too stupid to keep his mouth shut.

Lisa

That's funny about Liz Claiborne, because, in my experience, her clothes now are so vanity-sized.

I normally wear a size 8 (w/ my height, I'm currently trying to lose), & her 6's fit me & are sometimes too big.

 

[happygirl]

How? What's said has been clearly said...

I think public outrage might swing there minds.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I think public outrage might swing there minds.

This stance isn't anything new for them though.

 

[robinb]

I'm not really thinking about everyday clothes - my daughter doesn't wear anything where normal underwear would create a pantylines issue in everyday life. But when it comes to sports that changes, and I don't care how old the girls are, regular underwear under the (too thin IMO) baseball pants isn't a good look. It calls attention to the girls' butts just as surely as if they had writing there, IMO. And yes, even white underwear show. Flesh-tone underwear, thongs, boy shorts, or athletic (compression type) shorts are all ways to avoid that issue and I really don't get attaching deeper meaning or judgment to one when people wouldn't bat an eye at the others.

In that case, I agree with you . I thought you were talking about panty lines on everyday clothes on kids.

 

[ebtbmom]

It's funny that he associates thinness with popularity. My son is quite thin and handsome, but as I posted earlier he's just been dx'ed with Aspergers so he's not part of the cool/popular crowd. Guess its a good thing that he hates clothes shopping and is satisfied with graphic tees from Old Navy. Otherwise I'd have to break it to him that his coolness factor isn't high enough to qualify to shop at AF.

 

[Chuck S]

While I in no way would fit into anything under a men's XXL shirt, I don't see how this is any different from the ladies Size 5 7 9 shops that are out around in the malls. Pretty simple, if I can't fit, I just don't shop there..they'll simply have to survive without dollars from this consumer. And they don't seem to be hurting for $$.

 

[woodkins]

Are you saying your 10 yo wears Victoria's Secret thongs?

Yes I am. She wears the VS Pink brand. She is a tiny gymnast/cheerleader and they fit perfectly under her Nike pros and cheer briefs, as well as with her jeggings.

 

[JosieCat]

While I in no way would fit into anything under a men's XXL shirt, I don't see how this is any different from the ladies Size 5 7 9 shops that are out around in the malls. Pretty simple, if I can't fit, I just don't shop there..they'll simply have to survive without dollars from this consumer. And they don't seem to be hurting for $$.

If that were simply the case, it would be fine.

However, the CEO said they only want "cool kids wearing their clothes. That's why they do not sell any women's sizes above a large". However, they do carry XL and XXL men's clothing.

They are saying that anyone who's female and wears a size larger than a 10 is not worth/desirable/"cool". And, that is what people are taking issue with.

Not that they cater to certain sizes, but what Mike Jeffries said.

 

[LiveYourLife]

Isn't this the same company who public ally asked a guy from Jersey Shore to not wear their clothes publicly? That sees confusing as they just described that group of people as who they want in their clothes?

Yup! Same company. Same CEO. That was the first thing that came to mind when I read the first post in this thread. Great minds