Hey there,
I was just curious, i saw the video about A&F clothes and the guy giving it to homeless people, but i really don’t get the criticism. I mean, homeless people can’t afford clothes, so why would they want Abercrombie?
Also, i don’t understand why people think Abercrombie is for the “cool kids”. I think it’s kind of the reverse, you buy them so you can look better and more stylish. The smaller sizes are only to accent either curves or muscle tone. Sure they don’t sell larger sizes, but i think every store has a niche, just like Victoria Secret doesn’t have male oriented items.
What do you all think?
Categorized | Affiliate Marketing 101
How Do You Feel About Abercrombie Clothes?
Posted on May 19, 2013.
I guess you missed all the controversy. The A&F CEO was questioned about why they don’t carry larger sizes. He commented that he is looking for the “All American” cool, good looking, high school kid with lots of friends. He then went on to say that overweight and non-attractive people are not considered cool and their clothes aren’t marketed to them.
It was almost like Catherine’s. They target larger women, but they don’t go around saying that they’re too good to service smaller people. There’s a difference between targeting a specific audience, and being a general douche like he was.
Look up Mike Jeffries. He’s the CEO of abercrombie and fitch, and he has said some very… interesting (read: possibly offensive) things regarding who should/shouldn’t shop at his stores. I honestly didn’t used to mind abercrombie. Didn’t shop there often, but didn’t really not shop there either. After reading some comments by Jeffries, and some responses from others, I’m pretty muchgoing to be boycotting the brand from now on. You can make your own opinions/decisions though, I won’t try to tell you that its a “good” or “bad” brand 😛
I think the clothes are overpriced.
I think the guy was giving the clothes to homeless people because of the whole “only cool people can wear A&F” and he wanted to create a new group of people that wears the clothes. That’s why some people got mad because they felt the guy giving the clothes to homeless people is pretty much saying that homeless people aren’t cool, they’re the lowest of the low.
As for “cool kids”, most of the time the “cool kids” are not the fat and ugly kids in school. They’re the thinner kids and not so ugly kids. Since A&F only sells clothes that fit the thinner kids who are usually the “cool kids” then it makes the clothes for “cool kids” only.
I think it’s all stupid. People need to just get over it. Who cares if it’s supposedly for the “cool” people only. I’d rather be uncool and save some money!
I think its fine. I like Abercrombie. I wear occasionally. Their clothes fits me very well and do compliment my muscles . and its just a nice look overall in my opinion.
As far as them not selling bigger sizes, that’s on them. That’s the image they want which is fine. That’s capitalism, a company sells what they want, you don’t like it or agree shop elsewhere
The criticism comes from questioning his approach to homeless people in order to make his point. Basically, people are saying that the man who made the video is using the homeless men and women he gave the clothes to as tools to challenge A&F. He does not care so much about clothing needy people, but making a personal statement to the clothing company.
I thought it was a clever move and do not necessarily agree with the criticism. I would need to hear more about who the guy is and what his thoughts on poverty are before deciding that he is indeed just using poverty as an excuse to make a video and fight with a corporation.
On another note, homeless people can often afford cheap clothing. They do not normally care about the brand, so the issue is not about them wanting to wear abercrombie, but tons of people needing something descent to wear and corporations like this one burning perfectly good, unsold merchandise rather than donating it or doing something intelligent and humane with it.
I think abercrombie is an unimaginative, dull brand for unimaginative, dull people.
I buy their swim suits because they fit me well…I won’t contine to do so though due to recent events.
I didn’t like them before,and I especially don’t like them now.
Well how you’re saying it A&F doesn’t sound so bad. Might as well get angry at Big and Tall for not making Thin and Short. No!
A&F were very out of line, they were saying how they do not sell larger sizes for girls is because those girls are not cool, those girls are not pretty. Do you understand how many people this hurt? Who is someone, who I my mention looks like the love child of Mr. and Mrs. Potato head have the right to say big is not beautiful. Forget the controversy of the clothing and talk about the people who work there. They only hire “attractive” and fit people. Also A&F would rather burn their clothing then give it to someone who could really need it!
Since I want to go into business I would just like to say their management team may want to set all the buildings on fire because of all the business they are losing. Which is good and bad. Good because that company will go out of business because who wants to go to a place like that. Bad because that company will go out of business and a lot of people will lose their jobs.
I’ve never shopped at A&F and after this whole thing I wont even step foot into that store. It will just be a matter of time that you see your local A&F store in the mall shut down. I’m not paying $100 for a pair of jeans I can buy at Target for less than $20.00
IMHO every company has a target audience, and it is up to them to target it. However, A&F did not have to blatantly say that they do not like fat and ugly people. This is gonna really alienate people from the brand, even if they meet A&F’s “standards”. For pricing i feel some stuffis overpriced, but some are good value because of the quality of material used.
I think that people are making a big issue out of nothing and that there’s more important things to worry about. So what if he only wants preps wearing his clothing? Do you really think Dolce and Gabbana, Prada, Oscar de la Renta, Givenchy, Yves St. Laurent, et. al. want us peasants wearing their stuff?
In short, it’s his company. He can do what he wants with it. If he doesn’t want to make shirts bigger than a large or jeans bigger than a 10, he doesn’t have to. There is no law, rule, mandate, or commandment saying he has to cater to everybody, nor is there any writ saying you have to shop there. You’re the consumer. Your cash speaks louder than any flimsy petition you put on WhiteHouse.gov.
Overpriced & ment for douche bads. I have a pair of sweatpants from there that I bought used & for $6, I would never walk in there & buy anything new.