Poor get poorer
As always, given the inequities built into the global economic system, the poorest people in the world have been the…
A bercrombie & Fitch, once the go-to brand for every collar-popping, chino-wearing teenager, has relaxed their policy on hiring only ridiculously good looking people. In an attempt to appeal to present day teenagers, the company has decided to do away with those topless, six-pack toting models who stand at the front of their stores looking dead behind the eyes while trying to sell you jeans.
In fact, they are going to stop hiring based on “body type or physical attractiveness” altogether, as sales staff will go from being called “models” to “brand representatives”. Instead of fitting the stereotypical Abercrombie look, ideal employees will now simply be “neat, clean, natural and well-groomed”. However, excessive tattoos, make-up and piercings anywhere other than ears are still a big no-no.
“By the end of July, there will no longer be overtly sexualised marketing used for selling materials including in-store photos, gift cards and shopping bags”, the company announced last Friday. The decision comes less than six months after the departure of former chief executive officer, Mike Jeffries, who had proudly declared in 2006 that he didn’t want overweight or unattractive people wearing his brand.
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The turnaround comes nearly a year after the ailing brand, whose sales slumped by 10 per cent last year, decided to change their aggressive in-store atmosphere that comprised mainly of pitch black darkness, nightclub volume levels of dance music and the overwhelmingly unmistakable stench of their signature cologne.
Despite introducing men&’s shirts in a looser fit than their signature “Muscle” range, there are still only a handful of options in the women&’s department for anyone over a size 14. Just two shirts come in an XL, which the website claims is a UK size 18 while their jeans only go up to UK size 14 or 30-inch waist.
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