“Why I Hate Abercrombie & Fitch”

The article, “Why I Hate Abercrombie & Fitch” written by Dwight McBride is about his personal views on the store. He begins by discussing his personal encounter with the label “Abercrombie & Fitch.” One night while he was out with his friends he noticed someone wearing a shirt that sported the logo and as he continued to look around he noticed that one-third of the men there were wearing some form of their clothing (60). He then goes on to discuss of the history of the store. “Abercrombie & Fitch” became known in 1892 by David T. Abercrombie. The store produced “high-end gear for hunters, fishermen, campers, and explorers” (62). A partnership later developed in 1904 with lawyer Ezra Fitch, which today is the label of an expensive clothing line within A&F. As the years went on, A&F began to grow and expand its store. Clothing became available for purchase for men and women. Abercrombie’s reputation was well established when the “rich and famous” such as John F. Kennedy became customers “as the outfitter of the rich, famous, and powerful” (63). Even in the earlier stages of A&F, the store catered to the white upper classes. Today, “Abercrombie & Fitch has devised a very clear marketing and advertising strategy that celebrate whiteness…has worked hard to produce a brand strongly associated with young, white, upper-class, leisure lifestyle” (66). While the clothes at A&F are geared towards whites, the hiring is looking for the same thing. Words such as “natural, classic, American” are often used to describe those who are A&F worthy. Therefore, the Native American is excluded from applicants who may be looking to be hired. Companies such as Ralph Lauren and Banana Republic are geared more towards the upper-class but they are open to other races in advertising and employment for their companies (72). McBride then concludes from this that these companies are not on the same level as A&F.

After reading this article, I feel badly that people are being discriminated against within a clothing store I used to shop in. I do not agree with anything A&F does in relation to their employees. However, I don’t think that their clothing suggests that it is meant only for white people. Even if it does and people disagree with me, there is clothing that is geared only towards groups such as black that if I wore such brands of clothing I would be looked at differently. One thing I would like to know is what about the store Hollister? This is close to the same thing as A&F and I would like to know if it is seen as the same in relation to the race and class controversies.