() – Abercrombie & Fitch has spent years trying to erase the memory of former CEO Mike Jeffries and the sexualized marketing campaigns associated with shirtless male models he designed.
Since Jeffries stepped down as CEO in 2014 after more than two decades, Abercrombie has abandoned the perfume-infused stores, silhouettes and logo sweatshirts that defined the brand during his tenure. The brand made these changes to attract customers who they had moved away from Abercrombie.
“We are a positive and inclusive brand, with a pleasant sensibility, very different from what you found in the past,” said Fran Horowitz, current CEO of Abercrombie, in 2016.
Today, Abercrombie’s stores are brighter than they used to be and its clothing is looser. The brand has become known for its basics (no logos), loungewear, and jackets. Instead of trying to outfit high schoolers for their classes, Abercrombie tries to outfit adults for everything from the gym to going to a bar.
The strategy of moving away from Jeffries has worked. Abercrombie’s sales have grown and its stock has risen more than 400% since Jeffries stepped down as CEO.
The indictment of Jeffries on Tuesday, along with his romantic partner and an associate for allegedly operating a sex trafficking ring while running Abercrombie, shows how Jeffries’ shadow still looms over the brand he turned into a cult favorite among teenagers.
However, retail analysts say the Abercrombie brand will not be affected by the indictment because of the large separation it has managed to create from its former CEO. Older Abercrombie customers who remember the brand’s sexualized marketing have embraced its makeover, while a new generation of customers is too young to remember the old era.
Jeffries’ role at Abercrombie and the use of male models in the brand’s advertising were central to the allegations.
The indictment alleges that Jeffries and his associates recruited men for “sexual events,” sometimes incorporating Abercrombie products, in which the victims performed sexual acts. Many of those affected were aspiring models and were led to believe that attending the parties would benefit their careers, prosecutors say. They were also told that failing to fulfill certain requests for certain acts would hurt their careers.
“While Jeffries was the CEO of one of the most recognized clothing retailers in the world, he used his power, wealth and influence to traffic men for his own sexual pleasure and that of his romantic partner,” said Breon Peace, prosecutor. of the United States for the Eastern District of New York, on Tuesday at a news conference.
Abercrombie did not respond to ‘s request for comment. A lawyer for Jeffries said he will respond to the allegations “in court, not in the media.”
Abercrombie became a staple of teenage wardrobes during the 1990s and 2000s under Jeffries. Its sexualized advertising, featuring young, shirtless male models, turned the brand into a status symbol. preppy for high school students.
And it was proudly exclusive, refusing to make XL or XXL sizes for years. (A documentary released in 2022 on Netflix documents his culture of racism and discrimination).
“We go after the cool kids. “We’re going after the attractive American guy with a great attitude and a lot of friends,” said Jeffries in 2006. “Are we exclusive? Absolutely”.
However, the brand alienated customers. Fast-fashion stores like H&M emerged to win them over during and after the 2008 recession. Their sales fell, and by the time Jeffries stepped down as CEO in 2014, the brand had settled lawsuits alleging racial and sexual discrimination and harassment.
Abercrombie quickly attempted to change its image from the Jeffries era. Shortly after he left, the brand said that I would stop doing “sexualized marketing.”
It revamped its marketing, removed the old moose logo from its clothing, and removed the Fierce fragrance from its dimly lit stores. It also expanded its sizes.
“Despite the terrible nature of the allegations, Mike Jeffries built an incredible brand, and Fran and his team have done an outstanding job modernizing it,” said Marni Shapiro, an analyst at Retail Tracker.
A new image for the brand after scandals
Retail analysts don’t expect Jeffries’ arrest and accusations while at Abercrombie to deter current customers from shopping at the brand.
“This is about the Abercrombie of the past, not the present,” GlobalData Retail analyst Neil Saunders told . “There is enough distance between the Abercrombie of today and the brand of the past.”
Other consumer companies have also successfully distanced their brand images from scandals involving former CEOs and founders, Shapiro said.
Papa John’s redesigned its logo, stores and hired Shaq to move away from founder John Schnatter, who resigned as president in 2018 after it was revealed he used a racial slur on a conference call.
Following a massive yoga pants recall, Lululemon founder Chip Wilson said in 2013 that “some women are not pants-friendly.” The comments sparked a backlash and Wilson resigned as president shortly afterward. Although Lululemon has been criticized Due to its lack of larger sizes, the brand has thrived over the last decade.
‘s Brynn Gingras, Kara Scannell and John Towfighi contributed to this report.
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