Abercrombie Post

In today’s society, Abercrombie & Fitch is seen everywhere. From adults to children, people in this country have adapted to the clothing style Abercrombie provides. Dwight McBride’s “Why I hate Abercrombie & Fitch” tells the story of how Abercrombie started. Today you look around and everyone is wearing this popular clothing, yet no one knows how racially charged this money making industry truly is.
The clothing label company “Abercrombie & Fitch” began in 1892. David T. Abercrombie lived in downtown Manhattan and was a committed outdoorsman. David T. Abercrombie founded “Abercrombie & Co.” because of his love for the outdoors and wanting to provide quality gear for hunters. Ezra Fitch, one of Abercrombie’s first employees, approached Abercrombie about a possible business partnership. In 1904 “Abercrombie & Co” officially became “Abercrombie & Fitch”. This partnership was not a healthy one. Abercrombie wanted to continue on with the outdoor gear, while Fitch wanted to expand to the general public. The company was aimed at the young white male. Upon Abercrombie’s retirement in the 1928, “Abercrombie & Fitch” continued to grow in popularity. Throughout the company’s history, “Abercrombie & Fitch” has worked very hard to produce a brand strongly associated with the young, white, upper-class males. “Abercrombie & Fitch” wanted to produce not just clothes but a lifestyle. For example, upon hiring employees, “Abercrombie & Fitch” asks that those who interview fit the “Abercrombie look”. They also have to read a book called the “Abercrombie Look Book”. It is in this book where employees are told how to dress, look, and act in order to work at the store. Within the book there are countless pages of white male and female models, only one model is of color. In the “look book”, Abercrombie continues to discriminate in order to target the young, white, upper-class males. In 2003, a class action lawsuit was filed against “Abercrombie & Fitch” alleging discrimination while hiring employees. The complaint specifically claims that “Abercrombie & Fitch” discriminate in its hiring practices against Latinos, Asian Americans, and African Americans. Clearly “Abercrombie & Fitch” is a racially charged money making industry.
Why would “Abercrombie & Fitch” discriminate in the job hiring practice? “Abercrombie & Fitch” believes in the image they are selling. This is very wrong because with the company trying to sell a lifestyle rather than just clothing, it is causing more discrimination in our country.
I enjoyed reading this article because I used to be an employee at Abercrombie. I did not see racial actions but I did notice how strict the company’s rules are on what someone can and cannot look like. It was an experience working there and I ended up leaving the store because of the strict rules and how mean people are treated at the store.