abercrombie & fitch was every gen z’s favorite clothing store from 2008 to 2012. we all remember those flower-patterned skirts, the graphic t-shirts, the tiny shorts, and lots of peplum, trying to give us a california surfer vibe. the store paraded around shirtless guys in jeans covered in strong perfume that made your eyes burn. however, the company declined after not being able to keep up with the latest trends, but also because of the over-sexualized marketing. in 2016, it became one of the most hated retail companies. after this, abercrombie & fitch took their criticism to make a complete 180. By 2021, they had the best second-quarter operating income and margin since 2008, with sales exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
the company was the ideal version of a re-brand. under their new chief executive, they came up with a four-pillar plan to transform the company, with customer feedback being the highest priority. the pillars included: identifying a specific brand purpose to plan products and transform them into versatile, style-forward pieces with a reputation for quality; breaking down internal silos to improve collaboration and innovation; and adopting a marketing strategy that focuses on social media first. they also shut down almost 30% of their stores, now only having around 733 locations. i think the addition of the new documentary about abercrombie’s prime gives it a new edge to the idea of a rebrand.
after doing some research of my own, i found that abercrombie’s website had way cuter clothes that were definitely up to trend. additionally, some influencers even are raving about some of their products, which included super cute jackets and matching sets. i was rather impressed with the re-brand, after always going to abercrombie’s store as a young girl. this new strategy is a blueprint for other stores as well, especially with social media being such an important aspect now.
