Xing Wang
Matthew Reis
BUSMHR 2290
Mar 25, 2013
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. brand As everyone knows, A&F is an American fashion retailer focuses on apparel for young adults. However, back to the nineteen century, it was beginning as an upscale sporting and excursion store founded by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra H. Fitch. Experienced its financial fall and closing in 1977, it was purchased by Limited Brands and revolutionized its image to become a youthful fashion retailer by Mike Jeffries. Today, A&F is a multi-billion dollar entity and expanding its market all around the world. But the real season that truly attracts me for the company is that A&F is doing its best to enforce social responsibility, which I really appreciate. In the meantime, its headquarter is in New Albany, Ohio, just outside Columbus, which means it might be easier for me to get the opportunity of internship as a student from Ohio State University. In the past few years, Abercrombie & Fitch has cultivated a luxurious brand image after the 2005 opening of its Fifth Avenue flagship store alongside Prada and other luxury retailers. Having strived for years and used high-quality materials in the products, A&F is now a “near-luxury” brand and makes the trademark slogan as Casual Luxury. Interestingly, the CEO Jeffries calls the A&F image a “movie” because of the “fantasy” shows in store. Even some of the clothing is given “story”: "You buy into the emotional experience of a movie," Jeffries explains, "And that's what we're creating. Here I am walking into a movie, and I say, 'What's going to be at the box office today?'" Today, Abercrombie & Fitch has more than 300 locations in US and expanding internationally. It has been nationally recognized in many countries such as England, Ireland, Italy and even some Asian countries like Japan, Singapore and so forth. Moreover, the company has a European office in Milan, Italy, from which we can see its progress in globalization. Furthermore, A&F also operates three offshoot brands: Abercrombie kids, Hollister Co., Gilly Hicks. Abercrombie is the children’s version of Abercrombie & Fitch. Hollister is for teenagers 14 through 18 with lower price than its parent brand. Gilly Hicks offers underwear and loungewear for adults. Of course, making profits is never the only thing a successful company should do. Abercrombie & Fitch is doing everything they can to take the responsibility for the whole community. These years, the company has engaged in philanthropic and humanitarian projects. For instance, the A&F Challenge is a fundraising event held in New Albany annually, which features running, walking, biking entertainment and food. The fund raised has been over 9.5 million dollars and will all donate to the Ohio State University Medical Center’s Program for Health, which focuses on “women’s cancers and the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. In 2007, A&F offers 75,000 dollars as scholarship to NSHSS members partnered with National Society of High School Scholars. “The more we focus on corporate responsibility and sustainable operations, the more we have to give back.”—That is the target of the company. Furthermore, in recent years, the company is striving to achieve its diversity and inclusion. "Coming from a small town where everyone is the same, working at Abercrombie & Fitch has taught me the meaning of diversity." -- Danielle Ridenour, a staff from Abercrombie kids. However, the company does have some cons. For example, the brand image