MetaChat - Abercrombie & Fitch Opens First Eurpoean Store

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07 April 2007

Abercrombie & Fitch Opens First Eurpoean Store -- It's in London on Savile Row. A freelance writer scouted out to be a store "model" tells what it's really like to work at the new store.

post by: ericb at: 13:56 | 10 comments

Err -- *European*

A&F is taking heat for their recruitment and employment practises there -- similar to what they faced here in the States (in which they agreed to an out-of-court settlement in a class action suit, paying out $40 million to the over ten thousand class members.)

*European*

posted by ericb 07 April | 14:03

I don't get out of bed for less than £6.50. Fortunately this was A&F's hourly rate.

Hee!

posted by scody 07 April | 14:38

I don't get out of bed for less than £6.50.

I loved that too - a little snark on Linda Evangalista.

I live near a mall with two (count 'em, 2!) A & F stores. One has male models roaming around (looking utterly ridiculous) and the other doesn't. From what I've observed, teenage boys avoid the one with the models at all costs.

posted by iconomy 07 April | 14:44

If that's what the staff look like, I know that I as a mere unattractive mortal would be too intimidated to enter the place.

posted by essexjan 07 April | 16:19

It's not a place I ever want to enter, anyway. Not intimidating so much as...overwrought, self-serious, teenage, tacky, calculated, corporate, and silly.

posted by Miko 07 April | 16:33

How dare those bastards rip off a Jim Morrison lyric?

posted by ikkyu2 07 April | 16:35

The A&F store in NYC on 5th Avenue is frightening. Incredibly dark, incredibly loud, with lots of "models" standing around looking blase. The clothes are just put in wrinkled heaps on tops of tables- that's how A&F chooses to "merchandise". Even my sister and her friend, fans of the clothes, couldn't stand the place for more than a few minutes.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 07 April | 16:41

I thought A&F was a British company. oh well.

posted by mischief 07 April | 18:49

Ha! Their deceit worked well!

posted by chrismear 07 April | 18:54

I thought A&F was a British company. oh well.

A&F was founded in New York in 1892 and catered to outdoorsmen and sportsmen (like my deceased grandfather). It went bankrupt in 1977 and was bought by Oshman's (now Sports Authority). A&F continued to struggle. The Limited Inc. then bought the "brand" (essentially the name and "goodwill") in 1988. In the '90s The Limited rebuilt the brand as teen apparel, particularly focused on a "preppy" image.

posted by ericb 07 April | 20:14

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