Abercrombie Fitch

If the horrific garment factory collapse last month in Bangladesh has any silver lining, it is the response from more than 30 of the world's leading apparel companies - including Benetton, PVH, Abercrombie & Fitch, H&M, Inditex (Zara), Marks & Spencer and Tesco - to sign an agreement to protect the safety and lives of that nation's workers, who make the companies' products. The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is a historic advance over the voluntary private factory monitoring that has tragically failed to prevent the recent disasters in Bangladesh and in places around the world where clothes are stitched for the global market.

Re "Abercrombie's pitiful pitch," Perspective, May 14 Robin Abcarian is right that Abercrombie & Fitch's refusal to make clothes for women who aren't skinny smacks of elitism. However, should we embrace the figures - 5 feet 4 inches and 162 pounds - that define the average young American woman? According to the National Institute of Health, that physique registers in the upper range of "overweight. " Medical research has established that those who are overweight or obese suffer health problems generating disproportionate medical expenses, and that modifications in diet and exercise can enable the bulk of overweight or obese people to attain a healthy physique.

Anyone who has ever walked past an Abercrombie & Fitch store at the local mall knows that it's a place for queen bees and cool jocks. Hot, buff store employees greet customers at the front door. They don't say, "Fatties keep out. " They don't have to. Abercrombie does not stock sizes for the average American young woman, who is roughly 5 feet 4 and weighs about 162 pounds. Abercrombie does not want that person in its clothes. And that is not news. But thanks to the power of social media, the company's obnoxious marketing philosophy is making waves again.

Anyone who has ever walked past an Abercrombie & Fitch store at the local mall knows that it's a place for queen bees and cool jocks. Hot, buff store employees greet customers at the front door. They don't say, "Fatties keep out. " They don't have to. Abercrombie does not stock sizes for the average American young woman, who is roughly 5 feet 4 and weighs about 162 pounds. Abercrombie does not want that person in its clothes. And that is not news. But thanks to the power of social media, the company's obnoxious marketing philosophy is making waves again.

Clothing brand Hollister apologized recently after male models it sent to South Korea sent out several racist tweets, posing squinty-eyed for photos and making rude gestures. But a U.S. official says the mea culpa isn't enough. Michael Yaki, member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, called on Hollister and parent company Abercrombie & Fitch in a letter to “conduct an immediate, public review of its diversity and cultural awareness programs.” He urged the company to take “the more courageous path” and publicly explain why the tweets -- which he called a “grotesque display of stereotypes” -- came to be. Hollister fired the models, who were sent to Seoul to pose with customers at a store opening, and backed away from the social media missives on Facebook.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co., a retailer of clothes for teens and college students, said Wednesday that third-quarter profit rose on higher sales at its Hollister Co. and children's chains. Net income increased to $117.6 million, or $1.29 a share, from $102 million, or $1.11, a year earlier, the New Albany, Ohio-based company said. Profit beat analysts' estimates by 1 cent. But Abercrombie's fourth-quarter forecast may be lower than some analyst estimates.

The Abercrombie & Fitch quarterly magazine has won a place of honor on the cocktail tables of gay men from Chelsea to West Hollywood. But these gentlemen are not looking at the clothes. Instead, they are admiring page after page of buff college boys frolicking on campus in Abercrombie & Fitch jeans, pullovers and crew necks. A posse of young men in boxers and roller-skates whoops it up at a dimly lighted rink. Half-dressed guys are pictured with their bedroom eyes staring at the reader.

Oshman's Sporting Goods said Thursday that it has ended an agreement to sell its Abercrombie & Fitch division to an investment group headed by Michel Zelnik. However, Oshman's said it intends to pursue the possibility of selling the 27-store chain to "another potential purchaser." It did not say who else might be interested or whether it has received another bid for the struggling chain.

Abercrombie & Fitch, which outfitted Theodore Roosevelt's safaris and Robert E. Peary's explorations, is being sold to an investor group by Oshman's Sporting Goods, a Houston-based retailer that has struggled for nine years to build a chain around the legendary name.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. raised eyebrows last Christmas when the teen retailer insisted it would ride out the recession without resorting to widespread price-slashing. Then came months of massive double-digit sales declines and dwindling store traffic as shoppers defected to competitors that sold similar clothes at more affordable prices. Industry experts wondered whether the company was risking its business in its attempt to uphold its brand image. At the same time, Abercrombie was criticized for missing several fashion trends, for instance, waiting too long to offer casual dresses and relying too heavily on its graphic T-shirts.

The chief executive of teen retailer Abercrombie & Fitch is known for his exacting attention to detail. That apparently extends to how toilet paper should be folded and what underwear his staff wears. Those tidbits are included in a manual spanning more than 40 pages included as part of an age discrimination lawsuit filed by former company pilot Michael Bustin. The 55-year-old is accusing the clothier of firing him to make way for a youthful pilot that matches the company's brand.

Clothing brand Hollister apologized recently after male models it sent to South Korea sent out several racist tweets, posing squinty-eyed for photos and making rude gestures. But a U.S. official says the mea culpa isn't enough. Michael Yaki, member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, called on Hollister and parent company Abercrombie & Fitch in a letter to “conduct an immediate, public review of its diversity and cultural awareness programs.” He urged the company to take “the more courageous path” and publicly explain why the tweets -- which he called a “grotesque display of stereotypes” -- came to be. Hollister fired the models, who were sent to Seoul to pose with customers at a store opening, and backed away from the social media missives on Facebook.

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino may have the ripped abs of an Abercrombie & Fitch Co. model, but the high-end teen chain wants the "Jersey Shore" reality television star to stop wearing its clothing. In a news release titled "Abercrombie & Fitch proposes a win-win situation," the retailer, through its "Brand Senses Department," said: "We are deeply concerned that Mr. Sorrentino's association with our brand could cause significant damage to our image. We understand that the show is for entertainment purposes, but believe this association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans.

The start of summer break sent teens and other shoppers to the mall in June, but sales remained lackluster at many of the nation's largest retailers. Major chain stores posted a 3.1% sales increase last month compared with a year earlier, according to Thomson Reuters' tally of 28 retailers released Thursday. Those results fell slightly short of expectations. Yet perhaps more disconcerting, the results suggested that while the nation's retail recovery continues, the pace has slowed since the first quarter.

Stocks rallied Friday, recording their second straight weekly advance, as higher-than-estimated earnings at Walt Disney and Abercrombie & Fitch overshadowed an unexpected drop in consumer confidence. The dollar declined against most major counterparts, and oil fell to a one-month low. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 73 points. The Dow and other major stock indexes stumbled briefly into negative territory on news that the Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer sentiment fell unexpectedly in October.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. raised eyebrows last Christmas when the teen retailer insisted it would ride out the recession without resorting to widespread price-slashing. Then came months of massive double-digit sales declines and dwindling store traffic as shoppers defected to competitors that sold similar clothes at more affordable prices. Industry experts wondered whether the company was risking its business in its attempt to uphold its brand image. At the same time, Abercrombie was criticized for missing several fashion trends, for instance, waiting too long to offer casual dresses and relying too heavily on its graphic T-shirts.

Re "Abercrombie's pitiful pitch," Perspective, May 14 Robin Abcarian is right that Abercrombie & Fitch's refusal to make clothes for women who aren't skinny smacks of elitism. However, should we embrace the figures - 5 feet 4 inches and 162 pounds - that define the average young American woman? According to the National Institute of Health, that physique registers in the upper range of "overweight. " Medical research has established that those who are overweight or obese suffer health problems generating disproportionate medical expenses, and that modifications in diet and exercise can enable the bulk of overweight or obese people to attain a healthy physique.

Teen retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. said its first-quarter profit rose 3% from a year earlier on stronger sales. New Albany, Ohio-based Abercrombie & Fitch said it earned $62.1 million, or 69 cents a share, compared with $60.1 million, or 65 cents, a year earlier. Sales increased 8% to $800.1 million.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co., a retailer of clothes for teens and college students, said Wednesday that third-quarter profit rose on higher sales at its Hollister Co. and children's chains. Net income increased to $117.6 million, or $1.29 a share, from $102 million, or $1.11, a year earlier, the New Albany, Ohio-based company said. Profit beat analysts' estimates by 1 cent. But Abercrombie's fourth-quarter forecast may be lower than some analyst estimates.