A&F: Controversy Prone

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Abercombie & FItch is no stranger to controversy. They create a distorted image of beauty that is both unrealistic and impossible for most to emulate. Notice an ongoing trend below?

A&F: Exclusionary Apparel

Our society has created a generic mold that is considered good-looking.

The international clothing brand, Abercrombie and Fitch, contributes to this epidemic. Saturated with photos of half naked models and perfect bodies, the brand is unrealistic in their presentation of the young demographic they target. As a former employee of the retail chain, it is apparent that to them looks are everything.

CEO Mike Jeffries publicly said “…There are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids. 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.”

The “not-so-cool kids” are ostracized as a result. For example, A&F refuses to carry sizes larger than 10 to accommodate people of different sizes.  People analyze pop culture to see what’s in and what’s out. By constantly seeing these images, people believe that this is how they are supposed to look.

Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries.

Erica Dotson, a former A&F manager said, “Unfortunately looks were the top priority when hiring someone. We were instructed to recruit associates that would be considered ‘cast of’, meaning people who fit the companies look. They preached diversity and uniqueness but for the most part those chosen were white or racially ambiguous.”

A&F is no stranger to controversy. Not only do they discriminate against their costumers, they also discriminate amongst their own employees. Suits against the clothing retail were recently settled after a California teen was fired for wearing a hijab.

The companies superficial association of beauty with a slim figure and long hair has created an uproar. Delany Davis adds, “I stopped shopping there because this is not something I agree with or stand for. People come in all shapes, shades, and sizes. That does not make us any less beautiful.” Others have done the same, going as far as giving all there moose branded A&F clothes away.