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Abercrombie & Fitch facts for kids
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Abercrombie store on Fifth Avenue, Manhattan
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| Public | |
| Traded as |
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| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | June 4, 1892 in Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Founders |
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| Headquarters |
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U.S.
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Number of locations
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854 (Feb. 2020) |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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| Products | |
| Revenue |  US$3.71 billion (2021) |
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Operating income
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US$355.18 million (2021) |
| US$263.01 million (2021) |
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| Total assets |  US$2.93 billion (2021) |
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Number of employees
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44,000 (Feb. 2020) |
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Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (often called A&F) is an American clothing company. It sells trendy clothes and accessories. The company's main office is in New Albany, Ohio. Abercrombie & Fitch also owns other popular brands like Abercrombie Kids, Hollister Co., and Gilly Hicks. As of February 2020, the company had 854 stores around the world.
Contents
The Story of Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch started in 1892 in New York City. David T. Abercrombie founded it as a store for people who loved the outdoors. They sold gear for hunting and fishing. Later, a rich lawyer named Ezra Fitch bought a big part of the business in 1900. In 1904, the company was officially named "Abercrombie & Fitch Co."
Fitch eventually bought out Abercrombie's share. From 1907 to 1928, he was the only owner. The company was known for selling expensive items like shotguns and fishing rods. Famous people like Theodore Roosevelt and Ernest Hemingway were customers. A&F even supplied gear for Admiral Richard E. Byrd's trip to Antarctica.
By the 1970s, A&F found it hard to compete with cheaper stores. They had many expensive items, but high costs forced them to sell off some of their most lavish products. This included an $18,000 gold and onyx chess set. The company also had to cut back on moderately priced items.
In 1976, Abercrombie & Fitch faced financial trouble and had to close its main store in New York City in 1977.
However, the brand didn't disappear. In 1978, another company called Oshman's Sporting Goods bought the Abercrombie & Fitch name. Oshman's started selling items through mail order, focusing on hunting clothes. They also opened a few stores.
In 1988, Oshman's sold the brand to The Limited, a big clothing company. Under The Limited, Abercrombie & Fitch began to focus on young adults. It grew into one of the largest clothing companies in the United States.
Mike Jeffries became the CEO in the 1990s. He changed the brand to focus on teenagers. In 1998, they launched Abercrombie Kids for ages 7-14. In 2000, A&F created Hollister Co., a new brand inspired by the relaxed California lifestyle.
Changes Since 2007
The company updated its products and closed some stores that were not doing well. Mike Jeffries, the CEO for 22 years, left in 2014. Fran Horowitz became the new CEO in 2017.
To keep up with fast-fashion stores like Forever 21 and H&M, A&F made some changes. They promised to focus more on helping customers. They also changed the job title of store employees from "models" to "brand representatives." These employees were allowed to wear a less strict dress code. They also started focusing more on customer service. By May 2015, employees no longer had to wear only Abercrombie-branded clothes.
Recent reports from 2021 showed that the company's sales were doing very well. They even went above their sales before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Company Value
In 2017, the company was worth about $650 million. They also had about $420 million in cash. At one point, the company thought about selling itself. Other companies like American Eagle Outfitters were interested. But the talks didn't work out.
Company Headquarters
The main office, also called "The Home Office," is located in New Albany, Ohio. This town was planned by the founder of L Brands, Leslie Wexner. The Home Office is like a campus with 11 buildings on 350 acres. It also has two large warehouses for products. There are also special "model stores" on campus. Here, the company tests new store layouts and product displays.
The company also has an office in Switzerland for its European business.
Marketing and Brand Style
A&F used to be known for its black and white photos by Bruce Weber. These photos often featured models outdoors. The company promotes its photo shoots and models on its website. In stores, you might see framed photos with the model's name.
The company wants to be seen as a fancy, international lifestyle brand. After opening its store on Fifth Avenue in 2005, A&F started to seem more high-end. They use good materials like cashmere and pima cotton for their clothes. They even created the slogan Casual Luxury to describe their style. This image allows them to open stores in fancy locations worldwide. They often price their items almost double the price in American stores.
Mike Jeffries, a former CEO, once called A&F's brand image a "movie." He said it creates a "fantasy" for customers in the store.
In 2014, A&F started to focus on trendier styles and faster production. This helped them keep their high-end image while still offering popular fashion.
In 2018, Abercrombie changed its focus to an older group. They now aim for young adults, not just teenagers.
Store Employees
The company is known for its "brand representatives" who work in stores. These employees used to be called "models." In the past, they had to buy and wear only A&F clothes for work. But after a legal agreement in 2003, employees could wear any logo-free clothing that fit the store's style.
An "Impact Team" was created in 2004. This team helps manage products in each store. They make sure the stores look good and follow company rules. Larger stores have a "Full Time Stock" person. This person trains other employees, handles new shipments, and keeps the stockroom organized. Store managers make sure the lighting, displays, and employee looks meet company standards.
Products
Women's Wear Daily describes A&F's clothing as "neo-preppy" with a modern feel. The company's clothes are seen as luxurious and follow current trends. They also promote their "Premium Jeans" heavily. In 2010, they launched a leather handbag collection.
A&F's prices are known to be among the highest in youth clothing. In other countries, prices can be almost double those in the U.S. Some experts warned that the company might struggle during tough economic times. This is because they sell expensive items, not necessities. However, the company chose not to lower prices or offer discounts. They believed it would make their brand seem less luxurious. In September 2010, the company's revenue increased by 13%.
The company also sells fragrances. For men, popular scents include Fierce and Colden. For women, there are 8, Perfume 41, and Wakely. Fierce and 8 are the most famous scents for the brand.
Brand Protection
Many fake Abercrombie & Fitch products exist. To fight this, the company started a special program in 2006. This program works with police around the world, especially in China, Japan, and Korea. The goal is to stop the sale of fake A&F products. The program is led by a former FBI agent.
Stores
Modern Abercrombie & Fitch stores have white walls and used to have black window covers. From 2013 to 2014, these covers were removed from most stores. The company said this was to make stores feel more welcoming. Now, a marketing image faces the entrance. Inside, the lights are dim, and there is spot lighting. Loud electronic dance music is often played.
The company has 854 stores across all its brands. In the United States, there are 278 Abercrombie & Fitch stores. There are also 5 stores in Canada. The company has 70 full-size stores and 10 outlet stores in 16 other countries.
Global Growth
The company believes it has reached its full growth in the American market. So, it started opening stores in other countries in 2005. The goal was to open main stores in famous locations worldwide. After starting slowly, the company sped up its global growth in 2012.
The first stores outside the U.S. opened in Toronto and Edmonton, Canada, in 2005. In 2007, the company entered Europe with a main store in London. Since then, stores have opened in cities like Milan, Copenhagen, Paris, and Madrid. The first main store in Asia opened in Tokyo in 2009. Later, stores opened in Fukuoka, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Seoul. The company plans to focus on China and Japan, where luxury goods are popular.
A&F also made a deal to open stores in Mexico by 2015. In 2015, they opened their first store in the Middle East in Kuwait. They plan to open more stores in countries like Saudi Arabia and Dubai.
Poppy Ban in the UK
In November 2010, an Abercrombie & Fitch store in England stopped an 18-year-old employee from wearing a remembrance poppy. Poppies are worn in the UK to remember soldiers who died in wars. The company said the poppy was not part of the approved uniform. This caused a lot of criticism. On November 8, the company changed its policy. They announced that employees could wear a poppy on Remembrance Day. They also said they would review the policy for the future.
Abercrombie Kids on Savile Row
In 2012, the company planned to open an Abercrombie Kids store on Savile Row in London. This street is famous for its traditional tailors. The tailors were not happy about this, as they already disliked the main A&F store nearby. This led to a protest in April 2012.
The local council rejected many of A&F's plans for the store. They called the plans "unacceptable." But A&F appealed and managed to open the store in September 2014. The next year, the company had to pay fines. This was because they made illegal changes to the historic building.
College Campus Stores
In August 2018, Abercrombie tried opening two experimental stores on college campuses. This was to better reach college-age customers. However, both of these stores have since closed.
Other Brands
The company has owned four other brands besides its main Abercrombie & Fitch brand. These brands operate as parts of the company.
- Abercrombie Kids
- This brand is for kids aged 7 to 14. It has a "classic cool" style, like a younger version of Abercrombie & Fitch.
- Hollister Co.
- This brand is for teenagers aged 14 to 18. It has a "SoCal" (Southern California) theme and offers lower prices than Abercrombie & Fitch.
- Gilly Hicks
- This brand is for women aged 18 and up. It has an "Down Under" (Australia) theme. It sells underwear, loungewear, and activewear. Gilly Hicks products are mostly sold inside Hollister Co. stores and online.
- Ruehl No.925
- This brand was for young adults aged 22 to 35. It had a fictional Greenwich Village theme. It closed in 2010.
- Social Tourist
- This brand was created with social media stars Charli and Dixie D’Amelio. It offers trendy clothes for teens. The goal is to help teens try out different styles.
See also
In Spanish: Abercrombie & Fitch para niños
- Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange (A)
- List of S&P 600 companies
- Lifestyle brand
- Retail apocalypse
- List of retailers affected by the retail apocalypse