Abercrombie and Fitch

Founded in 1892 as a premium retailer of outdoor apparel, Abercrombie and Fitch continues to design classics and essentials with the intention is to make everyone feel comfortable, confident and stress-free. Today it is a leading global omnichannel specialty retailer of apparel and accessories for men, women and kids through five renowned brands that share a commitment to offering products of enduring quality and exceptional comfort.

Founded in 1892 in New York by David T. Abercrombie as outfitter for distinguished outdoorsmen.. Abercrombie became so popular that loyal consumer- lawyer and real estate developer Ezra Fitch purchased a significant share in the company and renamed it "Abercrombie and Fitch" in 1904. Subsequently Fitch purchased Abercrombie’s share and became sole owner of the company during 1907–1928. 

With him at the helm it continued to thrive- outfitting Ernest Hemingway- Theodore Roosevelt's safari and Adm. Richard E. Byrd's voyage to Antarctica. In the Seventies however the business was struggling due to stiff competition from new low priced brands and trying to maintain its image and brand value. It was acclaimed for a considerable inventory of extravagant items but operating expenses forced the company to discontinue items such as an $80,000 gold and onyx chess set. In 1976 the 84 year old Abercrombie-Fitch announced that it would file a voluntary petition for reorganization under the Chapter XI provisions of the Federal Bankruptcy Act and shuttered its flagships at Madison Avenue and East 45th Street in 1977.

In 1978 Oshman's Sporting Goods owned by Jake Oshman bought the defunct company's name and mailing list for a reported $1.5 million. He relaunched the company as a mail-order retailer that specialised in hunting wear and novelty goods. Later it opened shops in Beverly Hills, Dallas and New York. In 1988 Oshman's sold the company name and operations to clothing chain "The Limited" which shifted its focus to young adults- first as a subsidiary of Limited Brands and then as an individual public company. It grew to become one of the largest apparel firms in the United States. In the twenty-first century The Great Recession hit the company's business as teenagers began showing interest in low priced brands. Subsequently the company rebuilt its merchandise mix and cut under-performing stores.

The company’s first non-U.S. stores opened in Toronto and Edmonton in 2005 followed by other cities in Canada. It entered the European market two years later with the opening of a flagship in London followed by stores in Milan, Copenhagen, Paris, Madrid, Brussels, Dublin and Germany. In 2009 the company entered Asia with a flagship in Tokyo followed by stores in Fukuoka, Singapore, Hong Kong and Seoul. In 2015 it entered into a franchise deal with Grupo AXO to open stores in Mexico. Later that year the company entered the Middle East with a flagship in Kuwait and plans to open in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

However it was no stranger to controversy. CEO Michael Jeffries- who was credited for restructuring the company and developing its contemporary brand image- was in the eye of a storm when he gave an interview to Salon stating "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… In every school there are the cool and popular kids and then there are the not-so-cool kids. Candidly we go after the cool kids.." He resigned in December 2014. Arthur Martinez- the retail veteran who headed Sears in the 1990s- will serve as executive chairman while the company searches for a permanent replacement. 

In April 2018 CEO Fran Howitzer took control of restructuring the business. "We are a very different company than we used to be. We are a much more inclusive company.. we are closer to the customer.. we're responding to the customer wants and not what we want them to want" she told CNBC. Horowitz aggressively redesigned stores.. set up a a more responsive supply chain.. a seamless shopping experience in both brick and mortar stores and online.. and set up an improved loyalty program.

Sustainability is a core brand pillar. "Our sustainability practices and policies support our commitment to global human and labor rights, ensuring our products are made in safe and responsible facilities and continually reducing the environmental impact of our business. In 2019, we became a participant in the United Nations Global Compact- the world's largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative…. we have laid out specific targets that build on our existing impact programs and align with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. These goals address global challenges such as poverty- inequality- climate change- environmental degradation- prosperity- peace and justice” said CEO FranHowitzer. 

A culture that advances respect and inspires unity!

Abercrombie and Fitch believes that every day should feel as exceptional as the start of the long weekend and therefore its commitment to providing consumers with quality, authentic and contemporary apparel. 

Specialty retailer