Hello Fabs !! I hope all is well and that you are staying stylish as usual . I recently visited an Abercrobmie and Fitch store to find my little fashionistas some new Spring clothes . First off I thought I was walking into a night club because it was so dark in the store ! I finally find my way to the kids clothes and I thought this must be the baby section because these clothes can only fit people with ZERO BODY FAT ! I was able to find a couple of T-Shirts and I quickly left before a Vampire came out of the back of the store . I haven't shopped there since and with the latest news of Abercrombie and Fitch's CEO Mike Jeffries stating " 'He doesn't want his core customers to see people who aren't as hot as them wearing his clothing,' I won't be back any time soon . The reason I love fashion so much is because of the diversity there is within the culture. I mean of course there are brands that only cater to the "smalls " as I call them . Brands that have been known for fit and petite clothes are coming into the 21st Century and catering to all body types. To add to this foolish way of thinking Abercrombie's CEO stupidly informed the public that they safeguard their brand by burning all of their unsold clothes instead of donating them to the less fortunate. Looks as if Abercrombie's CEO has sparked people all over this country to change his brand for for him .
Per Mail OnLine : A Los Angeles filmmaker is planning his revenge on Abercrombie & Fitch who only want 'thin and beautiful people' to wear their brand by handing out their clothing to the homeless. Greg Karber produced a video in which he drives to East Los Angeles to visit skid row and gives out the brand's clothing. Mr Karber launched 'Fitch the Homeless' after reading reports alleging that the company safeguards its image by destroying unsold clothing rather than donating it to those in need. He said: 'I was so mad at Abercrombie & Fitch I made this video to change their brand.' In the short clip Karber buys items produced by the brand at a thrift shop and drives to East Los Angeles to visit skid row. He then hands out the clothes to homeless people in the area. At the end of the video he urges people to give the brand's clothing to the homeless through shelters.
Last week Abercrombie & Fitch, which doesn't make its womenswear above large, or pants above a size ten, was accused of purposefully excluding plus-sized customers. Robin Lewis, co-author of The New Rules of Retail, told Business Insider the retailer's CEO, Mike Jeffries, 'doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people. 'He doesn't want his core customers to see people who aren't as hot as them wearing his clothing,' Mr Lewis added. 'People who wear his clothing should feel like they're one of the "cool kids."'
While Abercrombie & Fitch offers mens sizes in XXL, Mr Lewis believes this is to appeal to muscular football players and wrestlers. Mr Jeffries told Salon in a 2006 interview: '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 2004, the company was sued for giving positions to white applicants, to the exclusion of minorities; and in June 2009, British student Riam Dean, who was born without a left forearm, won approximately $12,000 in an employment tribunal.
Managers at Abercrombie & Fitch's London store had forced her to work in the stock room, out of sight of customers. And last year, it emerged staff were forced to carry out military-style exercises while at work, in order to maintain the 'thin and beautiful' aesthetic they had been hired for CEO, Mike Jeffries, 'doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people. Company policy: CEO, Mike Jeffries, 'doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people' According to a company email, male employees at the retailer's Milan flagship had to carry out ten push-ups, while women who failed to measure up were given ten squats.
Despite the risk of alienating potential customers (both H&M and American Eagle offer XXL sizes for men and women, and use models larger than size 12 in advertising campaigns), Mr Jeffries sees it as good branding to exclude particular shoppers.
'In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids,' he explained 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 argues that ostracizing some customers, by using sex and six-packs to sell clothes, leaves his loyal customers wanting more. '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,' he said.
But it might be time to change this dated business model. Plus-size, generally referring to U.S. 14 and above, makes up 67per cent of America's purchasing population.
Kirstie Alley and other stars are coming out slamming Abercrombie's CEO and his only thin people " mentality by boycotting several and giving away all of there A&F to homeless shelters. Looks like I will be visiting my local Thrift Store for a drop off this evening .
Until Next Time
fierce and luv ♥
P.S to see the video Fitch The Homeless ...Follow this Link ------------> http://fashioncrush2point0.blogspot.com/2013/05/fitch-homeless.html
