Abercrombie and Fitch recently made the announcement that it is going to begin carrying plus size clothing or, as it may be more aptly called, normal sizes. This is all in an attempt to gain new customers amid falling sales the company has been experiencing lately.
This new direction for the brand comes in the wake of the controversial statements made by Mike Jeffries, the CEO of the company. An interview with the CEO from 2006 came to light recently that quotes Jeffries as saying the brand is “exclusionary” because it “go[es] after the attractive, all-American kid that has a great attitude and lots of friends.” Abercrombie has some experience dealing with controversy with its brand (anyone remember the TSwift ex-boyfriend-inspired shirt fiasco?), but this was on a whole new level. These comments inspired an Internet backlash that soon turned into a global affair. Many consumers stopped purchasing from the brand altogether, leading to business droppping by 30%, which has damaged the company considerably. Jeffries did make a few statements in defense of himself saying that all brands target a certain audience and that his comments were taken out of context, but no one seems to agree with that.
Not only is A&F going to be expanding the sizes, but it will also be adding new styles and colors that have never been featured in the brand before. Currently, A&F does not carry anything above a large or a 10. This new line is set to launch in spring 2014–but will it really save the brand?