The Ask

Create a formal review of the Abercrombie & Fitch brand and the companies ethics in the past. Provide an overview of the company, the leadership team, and the ethics behind their sucess in the late 90s and early 2000s. Also discuss how the brand has changed overtime and their current status in the fashion industry.

The Process

Three important steps went into creating this case study.

• First, I watched the documentary in my Fashion Leadership Management Development class titled “White Hot” to further my knowledge of the brand and it’s downfall.

• Next, I read over the Business of Fashion (BOF) case study that was provided to us and started researching statistics on Abercrombie and Fitch during their successful era in the 1990’s. I used VCU Library Databases and news articles to gain a better understanding of how Abercrombie & Fitch originated.

• Finally, I took advantage of primary research by going to a brick-and-mortar Abercrombie & Fitch located at Tysons Corner Mall. This allowed me to see for myself how Abercrombie & Fitch has dedicated it’s recent success to rebranding it’s store and marketing strategies.

Then vs. Now

Abercrombie & Fitch has transformed it’s brand by adopting more inclusive marketing, revising employee policies for greater diversity, changing leadership to promote accountability and ethical practices, and making strides in sustainability and ethical sourcing. These changes reflect the company’s commitment to positive societal impact and responsiveness to evolving expectations.

The Outcome

This written report posed a challenge to my critical thinking abilities as it required me to set aside my current understanding of the industry with a historical perspective when the fashion and media sectors operated under different criteria’s.