Since their supreme court case and ensuing failed attempts to sell their company, Abercrombie & Fitch has had to do a little bit of rebranding. When both foot traffic and interest in their company waned, the brand was forced to make some unpredictable moves. Now, it seems, with the release of Abercrombie Kids' new gender-neutral "Everybody Collection," the brand is hoping to jump on a movement.
This might come as a surprise to anyone born before Generation Z, people sold on Bruce Weber's version of male sexuality and females as accessories. The brand's advertising material certainly didn't appeal to "everybody." Most, in fact, associate the brand with the opposite: prohibitively high-priced clothing for preppy and predominantly white young people. The aesthetics seeped into office culture, too, hence the brand's wrap up in a Supreme Court case regarding their discriminatory hiring policies. On a scale of one to "woke," ten years ago, Abercrombie & Fitch wasn't on it.
But people change, and brands change. Abercrombie & Fitch was founded in 1892, certainly its reputation has changed since then. We're willing to give them a shot. And apparently, they're willing to give us one, as this new development was based off customer feedback. The brand now wants to appeal to children who break gender boundaries, and parents who don't want to force their children to conform to them. It's a surprising move by a company that has a history of discrimination, and hopefully the first in a series of moves that make the brand more inclusive towards all people.
