Ever feel like, every time you enter Abercrombie and Fitch the models make you feel slightly insignificant, well, that might be the brand’s way of saying you don’t belong there.
Sound harsh? A&F are currently under scrutiny as they are seen as only targeting “thin and beautiful” customers.
Business insiders have said that the CEO of A&F, Mike Jeffries, said,
“He doesn’t want his core customers to see people who aren’t as hot as them wearing his clothing. People who wear his clothing should feel like they’re one of the “cool kids.”
The store only sell clothing up to sizes UK size 10 for women, which is a size M/L in most cases.
Lewis has slammed other competitive stores like Hollister for their larger sizes saying,
“Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla. You don’t alienate anybody, but you don’t excite anybody, either.”
Shouldn’t everyone be allowed to wear any piece of clothing if they like it and feel comfortable in it? And doesn’t this type of brand image support bullying? You are telling the customer that they are not “cool enough” to be wearing the brand, which then shows a total divide within educational and social settings.
This isn’t the first time the brand have had issues with discriminating customers and workers. In 2009 British student Riam Dean, who was born without a left forearm was forced to work out of sight in the stockroom of A&F store in London. She won £8,000 in an employment tribunal.
Do you think there is some truth in A&F way of marketing or disagree with their isolation of customers based on looks?
Words: Vanessa Dos Santos
