I think that it is slightly frightening how many kids (not commenting on anybody who has posted here...just kids that dd knows) use these clothes as status symbols. A&F and other, similar retailers know this and can charge outrageous prices because of it. It also irks me that so many of the trendy clothes have the store name plastered on them but I think it is marketing genius that these stores get people to pay money to be walking advertisements for them.
Ok, some people do shop there just to be able to say "Look at me! Im wearing this expensive brand! Abercrombie!!" Some t-shirts do have their logo on it so the people that shop there are promoting the stores (Im guilty of having a shirt that says Hollister)

