Jump to content

Abercrombie & Fitch

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Billturner1983 (talk | contribs) at 22:23, 19 May 2013 (→‎Comments on Plus Sized Customers). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Abercrombie & Fitch
Company typePublic
NYSE: ANF
S&P 500 Component
IndustryRetail
FoundedNew York City, New York (June 4, 1892 (1892-06-04))
FounderDavid T. Abercrombie
Ezra Fitch
Headquarters
New Albany, Ohio
,
U.S.
Number of locations
1055 (August 2012)[1]
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Michael S. Jeffries
(Chairman and CEO)
ProductsApparel, accessories, personal care, footwear
RevenueIncrease US$ 4.158 billion (2011)[2]
Decrease US$ 190.0 million (2011)[2]
Decrease US$ 126.86 million (2011)[2]
Total assetsIncrease US$ 3.048 billion (2011)[2]
Total equityDecrease US$ 1.862 billion (2011)[2]
Number of employees
10,000 full-time (2011)[2]
80,000 part-time (2011)[2]
DivisionsAbercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie kids
Hollister Co.
Gilly Hicks
Websiteabercrombie.com

Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF), also known as A&F, is an American retailer that focuses on casual wear for consumers aged 18 to 22, and is headquartered in New Albany, Ohio.[3] It has over 300 locations in the United States, and is expanding internationally.[4] The company also operates three offshoot brands: Abercrombie kids, Hollister Co., and Gilly Hicks, in addition to a post-collegiate brand, Ruehl No.925, that closed in early 2010.[3]

Abercrombie & Fitch's main competitors are Aéropostale and American Eagle Outfitters, though they are generally less expensive. Its younger subsidiary, Abercrombie kids, competes with Aéropostale's P.S., and American Eagle Outfitters's 77kids.

History

Main article: History of Abercrombie & Fitch

There have been three retailers called Abercrombie & Fitch and the current A&F shares only its name with the original business. Founded in 1892 in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra H. Fitch, the original Abercrombie & Fitch was an elite outfitter of sporting and excursion goods, particularly noted for its expensive shotguns, fishing rods, and tents.[5] In 1976, Abercrombie & Fitch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, finally closing its flagship Manhattan store in 1977.[6]

The name was revived shortly thereafter, when in 1978–91, Oshman's Sporting Goods, a Houston-based chain, bought the defunct firm's name and mailing list. Oshman's relaunched A&F as a mail-order retailer specializing in hunting wear and novelty items. It also opened shops in Beverly Hills, Dallas, and (by the mid-1980s) New York City. Finally, in 1988, Oshman's sold the company name and operations to The Limited, a clothing-chain operator based in Columbus, Ohio.[7]

The current version of A&F sells mostly clothes for the youth market, and describes its retailing niche as an aspirational "Casual Luxury" lifestyle brand.[8]

Especially since 1997, the company has consistently kept a high-profile in the public eye, due to its advertising, its philanthropy, and its involvement in legal conflicts over branding, clothing style and employment practices. The company has been accused of promoting the sexualization of pre-teen girls by marketing thongs to 10-year-olds and padded bikini tops to 7-year-olds.[9]

The Company has had its share of controversies. The Company has received criticism over its provocative advertising. [10] In 2013, the Company came under fire for comments made by the CEO stating that his brand is only suitable for, "the good-looking, cool kids," and that there's people who don't belong in his clothes – namely overweight people.[11]

Management

Template:Abercrombie & Fitch brand

Headquarters

The company's headquarters, referred to by the company as "The Home Office", is located outside of Columbus, Ohio in New Albany, Ohio.[12] The Home Office is designed as a campus of sorts, and is referred to as such. The company's merchandise-distribution centers (1 million square feet) are located exclusively on campus to help ensure brand protection.[12] Also on campus are mock-up stores, one for each of the company's brands, where store layout, merchandise and atmosphere are determined.[12]

The company also has a European office in Milan, Italy.[13][14]

As of December 31, 2010, the following were key corporate officials:[15]

  • Mike Jeffries – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
  • Diane Chang – Executive Vice President of Sourcing
  • Leslee K. Herro – Executive Vice President of Planning and Allocation
  • Ronald A. Robins, Jr. – Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel
  • Jonathan Ramsden – Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
  • Amy Zehrer – Senior Vice President of Stores

Employment

The company uses "brand representatives," now called "models," for store customer service. The models had been required to buy and wear A&F clothing, but following a company settlement with California state labor regulators may now wear any no-logo clothing as long as it corresponds with the season. The California settlement also provided $2.2 million to reimburse former employees for their forced purchases of company-branded clothing.[16] An "Impact Team" was created in 2004 to control merchandise within each store and maintain company standards; "visual managers" are responsible for forms, lighting, photo marketing, fragrance presentations and to ensure models comply with the "look policy".[17]

Lawsuits have been filed against the company due to alleged discriminatory employment practices. In 2004, in Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores (see "Legal issues" and "Controversy and Criticism" below), the company was sued for giving desirable positions to white applicants, to the exclusion of minorities.[18][19]

Settlement of class-action lawsuit

On April 14, 2005, Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted final approval to a settlement of Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores. The settlement requires the company to pay $40 million to several thousand minority and female plaintiffs who charged the company with discrimination. The settlement also requires the company to institute a range of policies and programs to promote diversity among its workforce and end discrimination based on race or gender. The consent decree governs the recruitment, hiring, job assignment, training, and promotion of Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, and abercrombie kids employees. A monitor will regularly evaluate and report on the company's compliance with the provisions of the consent decree.[20][21] These provisions include:

  • "Benchmarks" for hiring and promotion of women, Latinos, African Americans, and Asian Americans. These benchmarks are goals, rather than quotas, and the company will be required to report on its progress toward these goals at regular intervals
  • A prohibition on targeting fraternities, sororities, or specific colleges for recruitment purposes
  • Advertising of available positions in publications targeting minorities of both genders
  • A new Office and Vice President of Diversity, responsible for reporting to the company's chief executive officer on the company's progress toward fair employment practices
  • The hiring of twenty-five recruiters who will focus on and seek women and minority employees
  • Equal employment opportunity (EEO) and diversity training for all employees with hiring authority
  • Revision of performance evaluations for managers, making progress toward diversity goals a factor in their bonuses and compensation
  • A new internal complaint procedure
  • The company's marketing materials will reflect diversity by including members of minority racial and ethnic groups

Marketing and advertising

File:CasualLuxury A&Ftrademark.jpg
The trademark slogan, Casual Luxury.

A&F is known for its racy marketing photography by Bruce Weber.[22] It is rendered to grayscale and features outdoor settings, usually with semi-nude males and females for an increased tone of sexuality. A&F casts only store employees for marketing campaigns. Casting directors from the home office travel to key A&F regional stores in the United States and to London to hold "casting calls" for employees aspiring to become the next "A&F New Face".[23] The company promotes its casting sessions, models, and photo shoots in the "A&F Casting" feature online at abercrombie.com. The website also provides a gallery of current photography. Framed copies at A&F stores will sometimes name the model and store.

The Abercrombie & Fitch brand image is heavily promoted as an international near-luxury lifestyle concept.[24] The company began cultivating an upscale image after the 2005 opening of its Fifth Avenue flagship store alongside Prada and other upscale retailers.[25] Having for years used high-grade materials in the construction of its merchandise and priced them at "near-luxury" levels, the trademark Casual Luxury was introduced[25] as a fictional dictionary term with multiple definitions such as "[using] the finest cashmere, pima cottons, and highest quality leather to create the ultimate in casual, body conscious clothing,"[26] and "implementing and/or incorporating time honored machinery ...to produce the most exclusive denim..."[26] This upscale image has allowed A&F to open stores in international high-end locations and further promote the image by pricing its merchandise at almost double the American prices.

Overall, CEO Jeffries calls the A&F image a "movie" because of the "fantasy" that plays out instore.[27] Even some of the clothing is given "story": "You buy into the emotional experience of a movie," Jeffries explains, "And that's what we're creating. Here I am walking into a movie, and I say, 'What's going to be [at] the box office today?'"[27]

Products

High-end "Ezra Fitch" clothing marker.
File:A&Ffierce.jpg
The signature A&F fragrance, FIERCE.

Women's Wear Daily calls Abercrombie & Fitch clothing classically "neo-preppy", with an "edgy tone and imagery".[28] The company's fashions have a reputation for luxury, with the majority of designs trend-driven. There is heavy promotion of "Premium Jeans". In early 2010, the company introduced a leather handbag collection inspired by designs from Ruehl.

Its prices are recognized as the highest in the youth-clothing industry.[29] Internationally, prices are almost double those in its American stores. Retail analyst Chris Boring warns that the company's brands are a "little more susceptible" should recession hit, because their specialties are premium-priced goods rather than necessities.[30] Indeed, as the late-2000s recession continues, A&F has noticeably suffered financially for its refusal to lower prices or offer discounts. A&F argues that doing so would "cheapen" its near-luxury image. Analyst Bruce Watson warns that A&F risks finding itself transformed into "a cautionary tale of a store that was left by the wayside when it declined to change with the times".[29] A&F's year-to-year revenue, a key indicator of a retailer's health, rose 13% in September 2010, aided by strong international sales.[31]

Abercrombie & Fitch carries men's fragrances Fierce,Colden, and have re-branded the original cologne Woods (Christmas Floorset 2010). Women's fragrances include 8, Perfume 41, Wakely, and the newly debuted Perfume #1. Fierce and 8 are the most heavily marketed fragrances, as they are the signature scents of the brand overall.[32]

The company also offers the Abercrombie & Fitch Credit Card, issued by the World Financial Network Bank.[33]

Brand protection

Because of extensive counterfeiting of Abercrombie & Fitch goods, in 2006 the company launched a brand protection program to combat the problem worldwide (focusing more on China, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea) by working with legal forces globally.[34] The program is headed by a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent who was part of the FBI's Intellectual Property Rights program, and covers all A&F brands. A&F says that the program "will improve current practices and strategies by focusing on eliminating the supply of illicit Abercrombie & Fitch products."[34]

In August 2011, A&F offered Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and other cast members of the MTV reality show Jersey Shore a "substantial payment" if they stopped wearing Abercrombie-branded clothes, stating "We are deeply concerned that Mr. Sorrentino's association with our brand could cause significant damage to our image."[35] In November 2011, Sorrentino filed a lawsuit against A&F after the company allegedly violated his copyrights in making shirts that said "The Fitchuation" and "GTL...You Know The Deal."[36]

Stores

Abercrombie & Fitch store located at The Grove at Farmers Market in Los Angeles, California.
The Modern Canoe store located at the Mall at Millenia in Orlando, Florida with wooden louvers (featuring the Spring Break 2007 marketing campaign picture).

The exterior of the contemporary store design features white molding and black louvers.[37] The currently featured marketing image directly faces the entrance. The interior is lit with dim ceiling lights and spot lighting. Electronic dance music meant to create an upbeat atmosphere may be played at sound levels as high as 90 decibels, exceeding the corporate policy of 80 decibels and comparable to heavy construction machinery and harmful to the ears.[38]

The company operates 1,049 stores across all four brands. The A&F brand has 278[1] locations in the United States, four in Canada. In Europe it has stores in London, Dublin, Milan, Copenhagen, Paris, Madrid, Brussels and Amsterdam as well as three stores in Germany (Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Munich). Abercrombie & Fitch also operates stores in Asia which are located in Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

The only international store to close was in Fukuoka, Japan - it is operated as an Abercrombie & Fitch outlet.

Brands

Abercrombie & Fitch has three concept brands apart from its namesake; they are referred to as subsidiaries, but are operated as divisions under the A&F umbrella.

abercrombie
Prep-school by Abercrombie & Fitch[39] Themed as "classic cool" for kids 7 through 14,[3] this is the children's version of Abercrombie & Fitch.
Hollister Co.
Southern California by Abercrombie & Fitch[39] Themed after "SoCal" for teenagers 14 through 18,[3] with lower prices than its parent brand.
Gilly Hicks
The cheeky cousin of Abercrombie & Fitch[39] Themed after "Down Under" Sydney, it offers underwear and loungewear for women 18 and up.[40]
Ruehl No.925
Post-Grad by Abercrombie & Fitch[39] Themed after a fictional Greenwich Village heritage, offered clothes for 22 through 35 post-grads.[41]

Humanitarian projects

In recent years, Abercrombie & Fitch has engaged in philanthropic and humanitarian projects. In January 2010, the company launched the "A&F Cares" feature on its website to inform the public about its efforts in the fields of diversity, inclusion, human rights, philanthropy, and sustainability.[42]

The A&F Challenge is an annual fundraising event held on the home office campus in New Albany that features running, walking, biking, entertainment and food. The funds raised go to the Ohio State University Medical Center's Program for Health, which focuses on "women's cancers and the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease."[43]

In 2007, Abercrombie & Fitch partnered with the National Society of High School Scholars at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia to offer US$75,000 scholarships to NSHSS members.[44]

A&F's flagship store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City

Expansion campaign

Total capital expenditures for 2010 are expected to be in the range of $250 million to $260 million.[41] $215 million to $225 million is related to new stores, store refreshes and remodels, and approximately $35 million related to information technology, distribution center and other home office projects.[41] The company is on track to open flagship stores in Stockholm, Sweden (brought about by the Amethier twins), Singapore and Amsterdam, Netherlands, as well as shuttering 60 of its namesake stores in the U.S., by the end of 2010.[41] Additionally, the company will open 30 Hollister mall-based locations internationally and a second Hollister Epic flagship in New York City.[41]

The Abercrombie & Fitch brand is believed to have reached its maximum growth potential in the American market. International expansion began in 2006, with the long-term goal of opening flagships for A&F (and eventually all its brands), in high-profile shopping centers worldwide "at a deliberate pace".[45][46]

After delivering openings at a deliberately slow pace, the company will accelerate international expansion for its namesake and its Hollister Co. brand.[47] Noting the high profitability of its current international stores, A&F has plans to open about 15 flagship locations in total throughout Europe and Asia up to the end of its fiscal 2012 year.[48] The steep number could include openings for its other brands as well. The company expects 30% of its sales to be from international stores by 2012.[47]

Canada

Canadian expansion is expected to continue, with more mall store locations for Abercrombie & Fitch and its Abercrombie and Hollister brands in upcoming years.[49]

Possible locations for further expansion include the Laurier Québec, Yorkdale Mall, Masonville Place, Metrotown, Carrefour Laval, Rideau Centre, and Halifax Shopping Centre.

Europe

The company entered the European market in 2007 with its London flagship store. Since then, the company has opened stores in Italy, Denmark, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium and Ireland. In december 2012 a flagship store opened in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Asia

The Abercrombie & Fitch flagship store in Ginza, Tokyo, Japan – the first one in Asia

As with Europe, expansion into Asia holds a strong interest for the company. Having opened Asia's first A&F location in Tokyo, the company will primarily focus on the Chinese and Japanese markets where luxury consumption is high.[57]

A&F anticipates opening many additional small retail locations throughout Japan in the near future.[58] Despite the positive reception of A&F in Tokyo, Kensuke Kojima comments that, "Abercrombie's long-established WASPy and masculine image does not match the current Japanese market trend for non-aggressive styles."[59]

The company has been involved in legal conflicts over its employment practices, treatment of customers, and clothing styles.

Employment practices

In a 2004 lawsuit González v. Abercrombie & Fitch, the company was accused of discriminating against African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and women by preferentially offering floor sales positions (called Brand Representatives or Models) and store management positions to Caucasian males.[62] The company agreed to a settlement of the class-action suit, which required the company to (1) pay $40 million to African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and women who applied and were not hired or worked in certain store positions, (2) revise its hiring, performance measurement, and promotion policies, (3) revise its internal complaint procedures, (4) appoint a Vice President of Diversity, (5) hire 25 recruiters to seek out minority applicants, (6) discontinue the practice of recruiting employees at primarily white fraternities and sororities, (7) include more minorities in marketing materials, (8) report to a neutral court-appointed monitor twice per year regarding its progress in those areas, and (9) report to the court once per year.[18][20]

In June 2009, British law student Riam Dean, who had worked at A&F's flagship store in London's Savile Row, took the company to an employment tribunal. Dean, who was born without a left forearm, claimed that although she was initially given special permission to wear clothing that covered her prosthetic limb, she was soon told that her appearance breached the company's "Look Policy" and sent to work in the stock room, out of sight of customers. Dean sued the company for disability discrimination, and sought up to £20,000 in damages.[63] In August 2009, the tribunal ruled the 22-year-old was wrongfully dismissed and unlawfully harassed. She was awarded £8,013 for loss of earnings and wrongful dismissal.[64][65]

In a lawsuit filed in September 2009 in U.S. District Court by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 17-year-old Samantha Elauf said she applied, in June 2008, for a sales position at the Abercrombie Kids store in the Woodland Hills Mall, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The teen, who wears a hijab in accordance with her religious beliefs, claims the manager told her the headscarf violates the store's "Look Policy".[66]

In 2010, a Muslim woman working at a Hollister store in San Mateo, California, was fired. Before being dismissed, Hani Khan had refused Abercrombie & Fitch's human-resources representative's demand that she remove her hijab. The representative reportedly stated that the headscarf, which Khan wears for religious reasons, violated the company's "Look Policy". The civil liberties group Council on American-Islamic Relations has stated that the dismissal is a violation of nondiscrimination laws, and filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.[67]

In 2011, the Belgian Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism started an investigation into A&F's hiring and remuneration policies. The firm was suspected of only hiring personnel under 25 years old, making heavy demands on the physical appearance of its staff and rewarding a premium to male models that work shirtless.[68]

Customer issues

In 2009, the company was fined more than $115,000 by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights for refusing to let a teenage girl help her sister, who has autism, try on clothes in a fitting room. The amount of the fine reflected "pushback" by the company according to Michael K. Browne, the legal affairs manager of of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.[69]

A 16-year-old is suing the company after discovering that she was being videotaped in an A&F changing room by an employee, Kenneth Applegate II. Applegate denied the claim, but co-workers discovered his camera days later with the video on it.[70]

Lawsuits against other parties

In 2002, the company filed a lawsuit against American Eagle Outfitters, claiming that American Eagle copied A&F garment designs, among other things. The lawsuit was based on a trade-dress claim, stating that American Eagle had very closely mimicked A&F's products' visual appearance and packaging. Specifically, A&F claimed that American Eagle copied particular articles of clothing, in-store displays and advertisements, and even the A&F product catalog. Despite the admission that American Eagle might have utilized very similar materials, designs, in-store displays, symbols, color combinations, and patterns as A&F, the court ruled that there was not an excessive level of similarity to confuse potential customers, and therefore the court ruled in favor of American Eagle.[71]

In 2009, the company filed a lawsuit against Beyoncé Knowles, who uses the onstage name of Sasha Fierce, to stop her from marketing a fragrance named Sasha Fierce, claiming infringement of A&F's own Fierce fragrance trademark.[citation needed]

Controversy and criticism

Since its re-establishment in 1988, Abercrombie & Fitch has faced numerous accusations regarding its employment practices, merchandise, and advertising campaigns which have been described as sexually explicit and racist.[22][72]

A&F agreed to pay $40 million by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") to all African American, Asian, and Latino applicants who were discriminated against by the company. The applicants argued that the company expected them to work only in low-visibility jobs in the back of the store. The EEOC required A&F to provide equal opportunity to everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender.[73]

In 2013, a 2006 Salon Magazine interview with CEO, Mike Jeffries went viral and caused widespread outcry over Abercrombie's marketing practices.[74][75][76][77] The article highlighted Jeffries' statements that Abercrombie did not produce clothing for women larger than size 10 and purposefully did not market to "unattractive" individuals.[78] As the article gained momentum via Social Media, the company's official Facebook site was bombarded by comments and posts against this strategy.[79]

Labor practices

In November 2009, Abercrombie & Fitch was added to the "Sweatshop Hall of Shame 2010" by the worker advocacy group International Labor Rights Forum.[80]

A&F Quarterly

Main article: A&F Quarterly

Conservative and religious groups called for boycotts of the original American publication of A&F Quarterly (published from 1997 to 2003) for its sexually explicit nature.[81] The magazine contained nude photography by Bruce Weber, articles about sex, and recipes for alcoholic beverages. Also acting as a catalog, the Quarterly displayed the brand's merchandise with information and prices. Advertisements for the A&F Quarterly appeared in Interview, Out, Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair.[82]

Despite a company policy restricting sale of the publication to minors, critics charged that the publication was readily sold to minors. In 2003, an array of religious organizations, women's rights activists, and Asian American groups organized boycotts and protests over the publication, and the "Christmas Edition" of the catalog was removed from stores.[83] Although Jeffries said he chose to discontinue the catalog, because "Frankly, [he] was getting sick of the old one; it was getting boring," on June 17, 2010, the company made the announcement, "The Return of the A&F Quarterly" and invited email subscribers to reserve their $10 copy for a July 17, 2010, in-store release date.[84]

Product criticism

In 2002, A&F sold a shirt that featured the slogan "Wong Brothers Laundry Service – Two Wongs Can Make It White" with smiling figures in conical Asian hats, a depiction of early Chinese immigrants. The company discontinued the designs and apologized after a boycott started by an Asian American student group at Stanford University.[85] That same year, abercrombie kids removed a line of thong underwear sold for girls in pre-teen children's sizes after parents mounted nationwide storefront protests. The underwear included phrases like "Eye Candy" and "Wink Wink" printed on the front.[86]

More T-shirt controversies occurred in 2004. The first incident involved a shirt featuring the phrase, "It's All Relative in West Virginia," a jab at alleged incestuous relationships in rural America. West Virginia Governor Bob Wise spoke out against the company for depicting "an unfounded, negative stereotype of West Virginia", but the shirts were not removed.[87] Later, another T-shirt that said "L is for Loser" next to a picture of a male gymnast on the rings gathered publicity. The company stopped selling the shirt in October 2004 after USA Gymnastics president Bob Colarossi announced a boycott of A&F for mocking the sport.[88]

In 2005, the Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania launched a "Girlcott" of the store to protest the sale of T-shirts displaying sexist messages such as "Who needs brains when you have these?", "Available for parties," and "I had a nightmare I was a brunette." The campaign received national coverage on The Today Show, and the company pulled the shirts from stores on November 5, 2005.[89] Five days after this media coverage, A&F pulled two of the shirts off of its shelves, released an apology to girls for producing the T-shirts, and agreed to have corporate executives meet with the "Girlcott" girls at the company's headquarters.[90]

Bob Jones University, a non-denominational Protestant university located in Greenville, South Carolina, and its affiliated pre-collegiate schools, along with other Christian schools have prohibited A&F and Hollister clothing from being "worn, carried, or displayed" on its campuses because of "an unusual degree of antagonism to the name of Christ and an unusual display of wickedness" in the company's promotions.[91]

After A&F raised its price points in 2004, its products have been described as overpriced.[84] After the company opened its flagship store in London, England, the brand was criticized in the United Kingdom because the merchandise that was offered to the customers cost double (or a direct $/£ swap) compared to prices found in the U.S.[92]

A T-shirt controversy arose again over A&F's Back-to-School 2009 collection of "humor tees".[93] One shirt proclaims "Show the twins" above a picture of a young woman with her blouse open to two men. Two other shirts state "Female streaking encouraged" and "Female Students Wanted for Sexual Research".[93] The American Family Association disapproved of the influence of the "sex-as-recreation" lifestyle shirts, and asked the brand to remove its "sexualized shirts" from display.[93]

Renaming of trauma center

In 2008, Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio agreed to rename its emergency room to the Abercrombie & Fitch Emergency Department and Trauma Center in exchange for a $10 million donation.[94] A letter written by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, signed by over 100 doctors and children's advocacy groups, argued against the renaming, for the "company's appalling history of targeting children with sexualized marketing and clothing."[95]

Fifth Avenue paycheck glitch

Upwards of 70 employees at A&F's Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York City were not paid their biweekly paychecks for about a month in March 2010.[96] Fox News reported the issue, and was told by A&F's corporate spokesperson that about 60 or 70 employees were not paid due to a computer glitch. The problem was resolved about 1 month later.[96]

Red Poppy prohibition in the UK

In November 2010, the Southampton, England, A&F store prevented 18-year-old Harriet Phipps from wearing the Red Poppy, which is worn as part of the Armistice Day commemorations in the United Kingdom every November. Phipps was particularly upset as the commemorations also include those in current active service in Iraq and Afghanistan where both UK and US troops make up the bulk of coalition forces present, and she has a personal friend serving. The official A&F reason for the refusal was reported to be that the poppy is not considered part of the corporate approved uniform, and is therefore prohibited.[97]

However, on November 8 the company posted on its Facebook page the following statement: "As an American company that has been around since 1892, we appreciate the sacrifices of the British and American servicemen/women in the World Wars and in military conflicts that continue today. Our company policy is to allow associates to wear a poppy as a token of this appreciation on Remembrance Day. Going forward, ...we will revisit this policy to the days/weeks leading up to Remembrance Day."

Proposed children's shop on Savile Row

In 2012, A&F announced plans that it would open its children's shop at No. 3 on Savile Row, next door to Gieves & Hawkes.[98] The building in question has cultural significance because The Beatles once played on top of the roof. The plans drew criticism and opposition from the tailors of the Row, who were already unhappy about the presence of the main A&F store on Burlington Gardens at the end of the Row to begin with, which eventually led to a protest organized by The Chap magazine on Monday, April 23, 2012.[99][100] During the consultation period, objections were lodged to Westminster City Council and in February 2013 the Council rejected many of A&F's proposals for the store, stating that the plans for fixed screens on the windows, shutting out light to create the nightclub feel, was “deeply flawed” and damaging to the character of the street and that the flagpoles that normally hang from Abercrombie & Fitch stores were “highly inappropriate”.[101] A public enquiry was then set for February 12 after A&F appealed.

Comments on Plus Sized Customers

In April 2013, the CEO made the following comments: "That's why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don't market to anyone other than that.” ... “In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids. Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.”

He specifically said plus sized people should not wear their clothes. It created sufficient controversy that Ellen DeGeneres weighed in on the issue and slammed the company.[102][103]

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b "ABERCROMBIE & FITCH REPORTS SECOND QUARTER 2012 RESULTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS DECLARES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND OF $0.175 AND INCREASES SHARE REPURCHASE AUTHORIZATION BY TEN MILLION SHARES". Reuters. August 15, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Abercrombie & Fitch March 2012 Annual Report, Form 10-K, Filing Date March 27, 2012" (PDF). secdatabase.com. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d "Four Iconic Businesses: One "BRAND"" (PDF). Retrieved February 9, 2008.
  4. ^ View Competitors for Abercrombie & Fitch Company (ANF).
  5. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch". Fortune. July 1939.
  6. ^ [1].
  7. ^ [failed verification] Barmash, Isadore. "Company Information". The New York Times.
  8. ^ Banay, Sophia. "Top Company Profiles – Abercrombie & Fitch". Portfolio.com. Archived from the original on June 22, 2007. Retrieved July 19, 2007.
  9. ^ "Padded Bikini Top For 7-Year-Olds Draws Parents' Ire". ABC News. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  10. ^ http://www.kare11.com/news/article/949222/14/Abercrombie-pushing-the-boundaries-once-again
  11. ^ http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-abercrombie-fitch-ceos-cool-kids-strategy-pretty-ugly-20130511,0,4858017.post
  12. ^ a b c "Abercrombie & Fitch Careers, Home Office". Abercrombie & Fitch.
  13. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch Eye Jil Sander". Fashion United. July 26, 2005. Retrieved December 15, 2007.
  14. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch Italia S.R.L.". Google Maps. Retrieved December 15, 2007.
  15. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  16. ^ Strasburg, Jenny (June 24, 2003). "Clothier Settles Dress-Code Complaint – Abercrombie To Pay $2.2 Million Over Workers' 'Uniforms'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  17. ^ [dead link] "Employees: 'Hierarchy of Hotness' Rules at Abercrombie & Fitch". The Dallas Morning News.
  18. ^ a b "National Clothing Retailer Must Pay For Discrimination" The Defender. Winter 2005, 1. A publication of the NAACP LDF. Description of the settlement of Gonzalez.
  19. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch Announces Receipt of Lawsuit". Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Retrieved December 13, 2008.
  20. ^ a b (registration required) Greenhouse, Steven (November 17, 2004). "Abercrombie & Fitch Bias Case Is Settled". The New York Times. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  21. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch Discrimination Lawsuit Settlement Website". Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ a b Reichert, Tom (2005). Sex in Consumer Culture. Routledge. pp. 330–331. ISBN 0-8058-5091-0. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ A&F Casting[dead link]
  24. ^ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "Abercrombie & Fitch Co. F1Q09 (Qtr End 05/02/09) Earnings Call Transcript."
  25. ^ a b "Abercrombie store opens on Fifth Avenue". Quadrangle. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
  26. ^ a b Casual Luxury image from abercrombie.com, Christmas 2006.
  27. ^ a b "Abercrombie's Beefcake Brigade". Time. February 14, 2000. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  28. ^ Lindsay, Greg (December 11, 2003). "Death of A&F Quarterly: Problem Wasn't the Sex but Brand's Loss of Cool". WWD. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  29. ^ a b "Abercrombie and Fitch: The biggest brand loser of the recession". Daily Finance. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  30. ^ SCT – Shopping Centers Today Online
  31. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch Sept. Revenue Metric Rises". Associated Press (via Bloomberg Businessweek). October 7, 2010. Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved October 15, 2010. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  32. ^ "Mens and Women's division". Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
  33. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch Credit Card".
  34. ^ a b "Abercrombie & Fitch Expands Anti-Counterfeiting Program". Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Retrieved December 13, 2008.
  35. ^ Smith, Aaron (August 17, 2011). "Abercrombie Drops 9% after 'Jersey Shore' Diss". CNN. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  36. ^ "Mike 'The Situation' sues Abercrombie & Fitch over clothing dispute, report says". The Star-Ledger. Newark, NJ. November 16, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  37. ^ Chang, Jane (September 10, 2006). "The Ab in Abercrombie". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 30, 2008. Retrieved August 18, 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ High Volume Sales – A hazard to your hearing? – Phoenix news, breaking news, local news, weather radar, traffic from ABC15 News ABC15.com[dead link]
  39. ^ a b c d "Abercrombie & Fitch". Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Archived from the original on August 5, 2009. Retrieved May 16, 2009.[dead link]
  40. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch F2Q07 Earnings Call Transcript".
  41. ^ a b c d e "Abercrombie & Fitch Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year-End Results". Abercrombie & Fitch Co. February 16, 2010. Retrieved February 24, 2010.
  42. ^ "A&F Cares". Abercrombie & Fitch. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  43. ^ "A&F Challenge". Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Retrieved August 18, 2008.
  44. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch Partners with NSHSS to Advance Global Leadership through Scholarships". National Society of High School Scholars. Archived from the original on March 24, 2008. Retrieved March 27, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  45. ^ "Abercrombie Kids' Heads to 5th Ave". Archived from the original on March 4, 2009. Retrieved February 17, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  46. ^ Hazlett, Curt. "Brits Get Fitched: Saucy American Brand Shakes Up London's Formal Savile Row". Archived from the original on December 2, 2008. Retrieved December 2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  47. ^ a b "Abercrombie & Fitch Feb 2011 Current Report, Form 8-K, Filing Date Feb 18, 2011" (PDF). secdatabase.com. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
  48. ^ Wohl, Jessica (May 18, 2010). "Abercrombie & Fitch Trims Overseas Store Plans". Reuters. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  49. ^ Abercrombie accelerating overseas plans
  50. ^ [2]
  51. ^ [3].
  52. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch s'installe à Bruxelles" (in French).
  53. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch Arrive à Bruxelles!" (in French).
  54. ^ [4]
  55. ^ Additional planned flagship store openings are: /External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MTI5NjgzfENoaWxkSUQ9LTF8VHlwZT0z&t=1
  56. ^ [5]
  57. ^ "Can the High End Hold Its Own? European Luxury Brands Expand in Japan as the Market Is Starting To Ebb". BusinessWeek. Archived from the original on April 17, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  58. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch F4Q07 Earnings Call Transcript". Seeking Alpha. Retrieved April 2, 2009.
  59. ^ "U.S. Retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Opens 1st Asian Store in Tokyo". The Japan Times. Retrieved December 19, 2009.
  60. ^ [6]
  61. ^ [7]
  62. ^ "$40 Million Paid to Class Members in December 2005 in Abercrombie & Fitch Discrimination Lawsuit Settlement".
  63. ^ Staff (June 24, 2009). "Disabled Woman Sues Clothes Store". BBC News. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  64. ^ Staff (August 13, 2009). "Designer Shop Sued By Disabled Worker". Sky News. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  65. ^ Staff (August 13, 2009). "Woman Wins Clothes Store Tribunal". BBC News. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  66. ^ Gregory, Sean (September 23, 2009). "Abercrombie Faces a Muslim-Headscarf Lawsuit". Time. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  67. ^ Knowles, David (February 26, 2010). "Store Fires Woman for Wearing Muslim Head Scarf". AOL News. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  68. ^ De Wilde, Sander (December 9, 2011). "CGKR opent dossier tegen A&F". De Standaard. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  69. ^ Shiffer, James Eli; Friedman, Jane (September 9, 2009). "Girl: I Was Treated Like a 'Misfit' at Abercrombie & Fitch". Star Tribune. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  70. ^ Walters, Chris (September 10, 2009). "16-Year-Old Unwittingly Stars in Homemade Abercrombie & Fitch Dressing Room Video". The Consumerist. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  71. ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc. v. American Eagle Outfitters". Audiocasefiles.com. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  72. ^ "Poseurs Paradise! What's It Really Like To Work at the New Abercrombie & Fitch Store?". Daily Mail.
  73. ^ Bianchi, Ariana. "Abercrombie & Fitch – A Model of Employment Discrimination?".
  74. ^ Neusner, Andrea. "Sizing Up Abercrombie--An Open Letter to Mike Jeffries". Huffington Post. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  75. ^ Connell, Charlie. "Mike Jeffries Abercrombie: Retail Chain Ignores Plus-Sized Women; 'Doesn't Want Large People in His Store'". Headlines & Global News. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  76. ^ Chan, Jennifer. "Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries Doesn't Want Fat Customers, Says Author Robin Lewis". E! Online. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  77. ^ Murray, Rheana. "Abercrombie & Fitch targets skinny shoppers, won't sell larger sizes for plus-sized women". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  78. ^ http://www.salon.com/2006/01/24/jeffries/
  79. ^ Kotz, Deborah. "Weekly challenge: Say no to Abercrombie & Fitch's weight discrimination". Boston.com. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  80. ^ "The 2010 Sweatshop Hall of Shame".
  81. ^ Kazdin, Cole (November 26, 2003). "Have Yourself a Horny Little Christmas". Salon.com. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2008. The A&F catalog regularly evokes plenty of outrage and numerous boycotts from Christian, conservative and parent groups all over the country. 'Everyone has their own hang-up," he says. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  82. ^ "Print Ad Library: Abercrombie & Fitch". Commercial Closet Association. Retrieved September 20, 2008. One insert to Vanity Fair showed a middle-aged man and young man in playful, romantic poses aboard a sailboat, an ad that many read as a gay couple...Although the Reynoldsburg, Ohio retailer's advertising appeared in OUT magazine over the years, A&F spokesman Hampton Carney said the company doesn't target the gay market.
  83. ^ Gross, Daniel (December 8, 2003). "Abercrombie & Fitch's Blue Christmas". Slate.
  84. ^ a b Rozhon, Tracie (July 13, 2004). "Abercrombie & Fitch May Be Cool – But Cool Only Goes So Far". The New York Times. Retrieved October 28, 2001.
  85. ^ Guillermo, Emil (April 23, 2002). "Humoring Ethnic America: Abercrombie & Fitch Still Doesn't Get It". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  86. ^ Dial, Karla (undated; copyright 2003). "Megan vs. A&F". Boundless Webzine. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  87. ^ Dao, James (March 22, 2004). "T-Shirt Slight Has West Virginia in Arms". The New York Times. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  88. ^ Sprow, Chris (undated; copyright 1999–2007). "L is for Lighten Up". Flak Magazine. Retrieved October 28, 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  89. ^ (November 4, 2005). "Abercrombie & Fitch To Pull Tees After "Girlcott". Reuters.
  90. ^ Staff (October 25, 2005). "Abercrombie and Fitch Target of 'Girlcott'". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  91. ^ "Student Handbook 2011-12" (PDF). Bob Jones University. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  92. ^ Poulter, Sean (April 6, 2007). "The Trendy US Gear That Costs Double Over Here". Daily Mail. London. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  93. ^ a b c [dead link] "Abercrombie & Fitch Draw Heat Over "New College" Line Of T-Shirts". All Headline News. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  94. ^ Elliot, Stuart (March 12, 2008). "When a Corporate Donation Raises Protests". The New York Times. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  95. ^ "Cut Abercrombie Name from ER, Advocates Say". CNN. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) [dead link]
  96. ^ a b "Workers Say They Have Not Been Paid". WNYW. Archived from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  97. ^ Staff (November 8, 2010). "Southampton Hollister Employee Told To Take Off Poppy". BBC News. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  98. ^ The Guardian - Abercrombie & Fitch with its 'crappy clothes' threatens staid Savile Row (retrieved February 16, 2013).
  99. ^ The Chap - The Abercrombie & Fitch Protest (retrieved February 16, 2013).
  100. ^ The Guardian - Sorry chaps, Abercrombie & Fitch simply doesn't fit Savile Row (retrieved February 16, 2013)
  101. ^ London Evening Standard - Abercrombie & Fitch's plans for Savile Row branch are 'deeply flawed' (retrieved February 16, 2013)
  102. ^ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/mad-at-abercrombies-anti-plus-size-stance-dont-do-what-this-guy-did/article11940905/
  103. ^ http://www.toofab.com/2013/05/17/ellen-degeneres-abercrombie-fitch-plus-size-video/
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abercrombie & Fitch.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abercrombie_%26_Fitch&oldid=555854072"