New York-based clothing company is facing a serious backlash after the company CEO made some offensive comments that come off as sexist and racist.
Abercrombie & Fitch is one of the country's largest clothing retailers. It's part of the Limited Brands, a company that's based out of Columbus, Ohio suburb New Albany.
Mike Jeffries, the eccentric CEO of the company is under fire for saying that bigger people are not allowed in his clothing. The company's executives are stressing that the CEO's lover is the real reason for why the company is experiencing some heavy criticism.
Bloomberg News first reported on Jeffries' unconventional 1986 standards for his cabin-crew on Abercrombie's Gulf-stream G-V Jet.
The male-models who work as stewards aboard the company jet are required to wear Abercrombie-branded polos, jeans, boxer-briefs and flip-flops as part of their uniform, as well as a "spritz" of cologne.
Actress Kristie Alley struggled through depression and overweight for years. She recently lost weight again. She and hundreds of others are boycotting Abercrombie and Fitch. |
Male house staff for Jeffries, paid for by the Jeffries Family Office, is provided by the exact same modeling firm that supplies male-staff for the company-jet.
ABC News reports that Jeffries is on the hot seat after the popular style chain is accused of discriminating against overweight customers, making clothes only for the thin.
At your nearest Abercrombie and Fitch, you can find shirtless salesmen and the latest distressed denim, but if you're looking for a women's extra-large blouse, you're out of luck. The trendy retailer's CEO doesn't want your business.
"He's been very, very successful, so he doesn't want anybody in the store that doesn't fit that cool, young and sexy definition," said Robin Lewis, co-author of "The New Rules of Retail."
Lewis says it's all part of CEO Mike Jeffries' master plan to cultivate what he considers cool.
An exam of the Abercrombie flagship store in New York City found mostly double-zeros, and extra-smalls and a couple of large tops and size 10 pants. Sales people there confirmed Abercrombie doesn't carry XL or XXL for women.
A spokesperson for Abercrombie and Fitch declined to comment, but in a 2006 interview CEO Jeffries told Salon magazine: "We go after the attractive all-American kid. A lot of people don't belong in our clothes, and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely."
"He is a brilliant visionary," Lewis said. "He really crystallized this core consumer he was going after."
But Lewis says it's a model that may not fit the future. Plus-sized shoppers now make up 67 percent of consumers.
"I think the young people today want cool, but as they define it themselves," Lewis said.
From Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign - highlighting real women - to H&M's inclusion of plus-sized swimsuit model Jennie Runk, many other brands are embracing that individualism and making their clothes more accessible. For example, rival retailers H&M and American Eagle both carry sizes up to 16 and 18 The largest at Abercrombie & Fitch is a 10.
Kirstie Alley was totally pissed. Rebecca Jarvis of ABC News reports that the actress joins the list of Abercrombie & Fitch critics who take exception to the company’s refusal to carry clothing in larger sizes.
The Former “Cheers” actress and “Dancing With the Stars” competitor slammed the store Tuesday, telling “Entertainment Tonight” she would “never buy anything from Abercrombie.”
The popular casual-clothing retailer is under fire for filling its shelves with products for the smallest of customers.
Protestors gathered outside the retailer’s Michigan Avenue store in Chicago Monday, outraged about the store’s not carrying clothes in a size 14, the size worn by the average U.S. woman. Plus-size shoppers now make up 67 percent of U.S. consumers.
“It’s body discrimination, and it’s bullying and it encourages bullying,” Cali Lindstrom, a former Abercrombie & Fitch customer, told ABC News.
The backlash is growing online on Twitter and Facebook, and several petitions on Change.org urge people not to shop at Abercrombie & Fitch until the New Albany, Ohio-based retailer starts carrying larger sizes.
One YouTube user started a “Fitch the Homeless Campaign,” asking customers to rebrand the popular retailer by giving their Abercrombie & Fitch clothes to the homeless.
An ABC News report last week revealed that the trendy retailer carries mostly double-zero and extra-small sizes inside its New York City flagship store. There was no clothing for women in sizes larger than a 10, and salespeople at the store confirmed that Abercrombie doesn’t carry XL or XXL sizes for women.
Andrea Neusner and her three daughters are taking more extreme measures to show their dissatisfaction with the retailer. They’re sending every article of clothing they’ve ever bought from the store back to its outspoken and controversial CEO, Mike Jeffries.
Mike Jeffries and his boyfriend require male models to look like this. |
Jeffries gave a 2006 interview to Salon magazine in which he said the store goes after “the attractive, all-American kid … A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.”
The retailer declined to comment on the protests.
Nicole Patrick, who was among the protesters in Chicago, said she is hurt by the exclusion.
“As a woman who cannot shop in Abercrombie, it’s extremely hurtful to hear that I’m not cool,” she said. “I think I’m really cool and so does my daughter.”
In addition to sending back her children’s clothes, Neusner also wrote a letter to Jeffries explaining her decision.
“My kids have been wearing [Abercrombie & Fitch] clothes for a long time … now we can make an informed choice not to shop there,” she told ABC News. “I didn’t want my kids being walking billboards for them but I didn’t want to throw [the clothes] away. I wanted the company to know how I felt about them.”
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