I recently saw a TikTok made by Netflix promoting their new documentary “White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie and Fitch,” which premieres today. It describes the chokehold A&F had on us in the early-to-mid 2000s - I, personally, fell victim to A&F in middle school in 2012. The documentary goes into the controversial history of A&F.
The documentary focuses on the fall of Abercrombie in the 2000s because of the complaints of exclusivity of being thin and white. According to a press release, “complaints ensued that the company was only catering to the ‘young, thin, and white’ aesthetic, with outspoken CEO Mike Jeffries famously barking back about criticism that the brand didn’t carry sizes above size 10 by saying, ‘a lot of people don’t belong in our clothes.’”
The documentary’s director Alison Klyman told People Magazine, "While I was working on this film, I learned that whenever I mentioned Abercrombie & Fitch to someone, I was going to hear something personal. About first kisses and teenage insecurities. About where they grew up and how much money their family had. About their relationship to beauty standards, race and sexuality. About belonging," Klayman said. "This film is for everyone who came of age in those years when the brand and its exclusionary vision of what it meant to be 'all-American' were touchstones in the culture. It's an interesting time to come back to Abercrombie. Social media has transformed the way that brands and consumers relate. It's hard to imagine a clothing line dictating taste to American teens like Abercrombie did. And while today many brands are trying to associate themselves with diversity and social justice, it's sobering to recall how successful Abercrombie got with its undisguised embrace of white elitism. It's my hope that by taking a clear-eyed look at Abercrombie's rise and fall we can see ourselves a little more clearly in the present too."
However, with this new rebrand of Abercrombie, I believe the title is incomplete. Yes, A&F did rise, and it did fall; however, it is back on the rise and gaining popularity by the day. Business Insider describes the rebrand as “ditching privilege for prep” since Abercombie now focuses on rivaling stores like Zara and Artizia by creating quality basics.
Jefferies stepped down in 2014, and A&F was named America’s most hated retailer in 2016. Fran Horowitz became the new CEO in 2017, and A&F’s stocks rose by 271% in one year. A spokesperson said that Jeffries’ cool kid comment was made over 15 years ago, and it does not reflect Abercombie’s new age of inclusion and quality.
https://uproxx.com/movies/netflix-white-hot-rise-and-fall-abercrombie-and-fitch-trailer-documentary/
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