Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries has admitted the brand targets 'attractive, all-American' customers of a particular size.
"We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends,” he said. “A lot of people don’t belong in our clothes, and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely. He added that his pretty people policy is what keeps the brand in business.
"Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny,” Jeffries said.
In a 2006 interview with Salon, Jeffries confirmed that the communication between hot people is his primary marketing tactic.
“It’s almost everything. That’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that,” he said.
Jeffries also told Salon that he wasn’t bothered by excluding fat people. In fact, he said that not limiting his ideal demographic would make his clothing less desirable.
Abercrombie & Fitch settles a Discrimination lawsuit in 2009 for $40 million dollars to thousand of minority plaintiffs claimed that African American, Asian, and Hispanic workers were steered to the backroom instead to the sales floor.
Abercrombie & Fitch has had a rough five years. The stock has plunged 40% as the company’s same-store sales, operating margins and earnings growth have all steadily declined. The retailer’s iconic branded clothing is quickly losing its appeal to its younger, more agile rivals, and the outlook for 2013 suggests even darker times ahead.
Social media users attacked Jeffries Thursday, many saying Jeffries is no beauty queen
