Abercrombie & Fitch says 'we don't want fat people wearing our stuff'

This week, Abercrombie & Fitch have taken a battering online after Robin Lewis, co-author of The New Rules of Retail, lifted the lid on the psychology behind the clothing company’s advertising strategy. Lewis spoke about an exclusionary and highly divisive marketing approach, and the way it reflects the company’s CEO Mike Griffiths' personal opinion: “We want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that."

Despite the average UK woman’s dress size being a 16, Abercrombie & Fitch refuse to stock items  larger than a 14-16. Why? "[Griffiths] doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people,” said Lewis. Presumably, his highly questionable attitude is ‘larger people’ look crap and would therefore be bad ambassadors for the brand. He only want one type of customer: stick thin, beautiful women, or toned and tanned men.

This focus on looks and body image obviously ruffled rather a lot of feathers, with many people questioning whether they would continue to support the company by shopping there. We spoke to a couple of readers and asked them if the opinions of Mike Jeffries and the marketing of Abercrombie mattered to them.
 
Alanna Donohue, 18, is an opinionated fashionista who says knowing Abercrombie and Fitch are intentionally excluding certain people doesn’t affect her personally, or as a consumer.

“If Abercrombie were selling a particularly nice dress I had my eye on," she says, "the ethos of that particular business would never influence me in deciding whether or not to buy that dress.” The fact she sits firmly within the 18 to 22 year old demographic of the company may say something, but Alanna points out that it’s not just Abercrombie & Fitch who have a slightly dubious approach to selling.

“There are plenty of companies who take advantage of people’s insecurities. Or who advertise their high end products to a particular demographic, knowing full well others couldn’t even begin to afford them. Abercrombie & Fitch are just being honest about it. Surely finding a niche market is key to being successful in business, especially one as saturated as fashion.”

Actively excluding people who don’t fit the Abercrombie image? Refusing to sell clothes in larger sizes? That’s just bad luck. “There’s so much choice online and on the high street!" She continues. "If Abercrombie & Fitch don’t sell anything that works for you, regardless of whether that's intentional or not, then just shop elsewhere. It works for me, so why shouldn’t I shop there?”

Katie Healy, who blogs about her love affair with all things glam at What Katie Healy Did couldn’t disagree more.

“I will never again set foot inside Abercrombie & Fitch” says Katie, who feels passionately that their brand values are seriously wrong. “Thanks to Jeffries, I would now feel incredibly uncomfortable shopping in their store. After all, he says I'm unwanted due to my repugnant size 14 physique. Paranoia would set in.”

While she appreciates some clothing brands may need to be choosy with what they decide to sell, “to be purposefully exclusionary on an entire clothing line? In my opinion, it's utterly moronic.”

While Alanna doesn’t see how her buying a dress is actively endorsing the personal opinions of Jeffries and Abercrombie, Katie does. “I do not want to contribute to Mike Jeffries’ ego by continuing to part with my cash to fatten his wallet and delude his employees into believing the environment they’re working in is ‘cool’. It’s anything but. Jeffries is arrogant, ignorant and committed to the idea that beauty is only attainable by slimming and squatting your way in to an Abercrombie & Fitch hoodie.”

What do you think? Are their brand values of not wanting larger ladies to wear their clothes wrong? Or are they just another example of high end luxury store sales people, a la Pretty Woman? Will you continue to shop Abercrombie?



Gail is a Yorkshire girl who moved to Ireland six years ago. She lives in Co. Cavan with her boyfriend and spends her free time writing, baking cakes and buying dresses. She loves anything vintage and quirky. Gail's a huge fan of Irregular Choice shoes and Morrissey. She considers Minnie Mouse, Ariel and Wonder Woman her style icons.