In a humorous generational twist, millennial-favorite model turned problematic fave Abercrombie & Fitch is trending on TikTok through influencers, curve fashions (we see you, Remi Bader!), and on a regular basis buyers. The hashtag #abercrombie at present has 61.7 million views (and counting). As a millennial myself (and a self-proclaimed shopaholic, no much less), I used to be intrigued, to say the least.
I will be sincere, the final time I had even considered ye olde A&F was in highschool, after I might barely afford something the shop needed to supply. That, coupled with the truth that I by no means felt like I used to be the correct form or dimension for its clothes, meant Abercrombie was hardly a go-to for my wardrobe. Heck, I barely set foot within the place. However my thoughts is altering.
Because it seems, I wasn’t mistaken for having combined emotions about Abercrombie. The model discovered itself in sizzling water a number of years in the past when former CEO Mike Jeffries made some fairly deplorable body-shaming feedback. The corporate is beneath new management now, although — its new CEO Fran Horowitz hails from sister retailer Hollister — and is making a marked try to show its repute round with new, inclusive product choices. Revisiting the web site not too long ago (as a result of, , it is nonetheless a pandemic and I am not prepared to move to the mall fairly but), it was immediately obvious that the model is taking itself in a recent course that is lengthy overdue.
Once I scoped out Abercrombie & Fitch, I did not discover the high-school-targeted retailer that made garments for one (objectively small) physique kind. As a substitute, I discovered a really trendy assortment of things {that a} millennial lady similar to myself might flip to for informal, enterprise, and semiformal events, all in a variety of sizes. These garments should not only for “skinny” individuals because the ex-CEO as soon as claimed (I truly shuddered scripting this) — they’re garments for all physique varieties, and in sizes that really mirror that.
“It is a new age for Abercrombie, and there is a lot extra to come back.”
Over the previous 12 months, I’ve examined out a wide range of A&F’s choices, each throughout the cold- and warm-weather seasons. Total, I am impressed by the standard: the sweaters are thick and heat, the attire are well-tailored, and the paper-bag shorts are palms down the perfect shorts I’ve ever worn — true story.
“Inclusivity is not nearly illustration in entrance of the digital camera for a marketing campaign,” Corey Robinson, SVP and head of design and merchandising at Abercrombie & Fitch, completely informed POPSUGAR. “It is about listening to our buyer to get the main points proper — designing denims to restrict a waist hole, sourcing materials that flatter all our bodies, creating gender-inclusive product traces, and setting up a pair of shorts to understand a number of varieties and sizes.”
A&F’s SVP and Head of Advertising and marketing Carey Collins Krug echoed Robinson’s sentiment, reiterating that the model is making inclusiveness and fairness the cornerstones of all that it does. “We have doubled down on the match, consolation, high quality, dimension inclusivity, and elegance of our merchandise,” Krug mentioned. “Our web site, social media, campaigns, and the Abercrombie crew are all extra consultant of the world round us. It is a new age for Abercrombie, and there is a lot extra to come back.”
Whereas a model’s repute definitely cannot be mended in a single day, and there is positively a whole lot of work to be finished relating to righting the wrongs, I am looking forward to Abercrombie’s future. Truthfully, the proof is within the pudding — er, garments. Preserve scrolling to see Abercrombie’s comeback on TikTok and store a few of my favourite items for your self.