American Apparel - 1

Abercrombie & Fitch is a popular teen brand. It uses the same brand experience in every store across the western world. Each store, no matter where has the same style, the same sound and the same smell. The myth about the lean, white, and rich ideal coming from the American society is distributed in the same way in every country. Hence, I am not only focusing on the myth that has been used to position the brand in Germany, but how myth has been used to position A&F in every market they sell their products in.

(Choose a garment, which can be used to discuss fashion from the point of view of the consumer. This garment must be able to demonstrate how the consumer individually constructs their identity and conveys that identity through the style and styling of clothing. You should treat this garment as an object as a form of evidence, which can help you to explain theories of fashion discussed in the sessions. The intention of your analysis is to examine the ways in which we can ‘read’ objects and images, understand their meanings and explain them in the context of broader theoretical and social concerns. You should aim to be as analytical as possible. You may want to use further

American Apparel is a vertically integrated clothing manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer. AAI is best known for making basic, solid color T-shirts and undergarments. They have expanded into dresses, denim, bedding, pants, and accessories for men, women, children, babies, and dogs. Their long-term goal it to become the #1 destination for basic apparel – the first name that consumers think of for t-shirts, sweatpants, underwear, socks, etc.

These past year’s fashion forecasts were on point when predicted that women’s clothing would emphasize summer bights and spring pastels—trends that became widely evident in both retail stores and on the streets. Due to the popularity among bold neon colors and light pastel shades in the women’s category of apparel, this influence has sparked the idea to emphasize the same styles in the men’s industry as well. According to the Denver Post, “these are among the trends you will be seeing a lot of in menswear, judging from the lines previewed to retail buyers in Las Vegas.” With an emphasis on menswear, these trade shows previewed similar trends found in women’s apparel this past year—short-sleeves, colored jeans, and colored shirts varying in colors from mint green to pink and yellow.

When Coco Chanel said “fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening,” she epitomized one of the most overlooked topics in history. It is no coincidence that Chanel was the biggest clothing designer of the 1920’s, an era of fashion shaped by its environment and the beginning of a fashion revolution. Considered a time of political change, social change, and economic growth, the twenties acts as the basis of modern society in America. This time period is the beginning of major influences towards contemporary apparel. The deviation from conservative fashion standards started in the 1920’s with the desire to obtain a masculine figure, the change of attitude in women and the rise of commercialism.

This form of ‘exploitation’ and attitude towards the use of ‘subliminal messages’ is alarming, as it is progressively getting worse in the U.S. advertising market. Since 2015/16 a new brand strategy was re-created for the legendary American brand. It was taken over by Paula Schneider, who has been attempting to restore the outfitter’s brand strategy to something acceptable and escape it’s undeniably troubled past. American Apparel’s history has completely shifted. It previously claimed to supply for 18-35 year olds; the company was only pushing the older customers away with its ‘sex sells’ campaigns, and confused the younger, trendy customers with emphasis on its minimal collections. The brand was trying to seduce every age bracket with their

Iris, age 11, stated that “consumption [is] not an act of personal power or even pleasure but an act of submission to power – the power of the market to influence all girls’ clothing practices” (Jackson et al., 2013, p.152) In regards to sexualization, fashion marketing can be a negative influence on girls and their journey to becoming teenagers and then adults. But this negative influence can be averted because every girl has their own opinion, despite what media and marketing present. They have the power to deem what is desirable and appropriate in their own eyes, with or without the influence of media. In Jackson et al.’s study, girls gave their opinions on certain styles and clothing items seen in their video diaries. Many of the girls had negative comments regarding clothing they considered “inappropriate” for their age group and how certain items can draw attention to the body. Nikita, age 12, discussed after buying a sheer, white tunic, she had to wear something underneath, and stated how other girls will wear it differently in saying, “sometimes it’s a bit inappropriate if some girls, you know, wear them with nothing underneath, it looks really disgusting” (Jackson et al., 2013, p.154). Elodie, age 12, was critical of media’s influence and claimed that “a lot of girls at [her] school are influenced by the whole Playboy Mansion

2. Facts- Abercrombie and Fitch is a national clothing retail chain that is designed to come across as preppy and modern to appeal to their relatively youthful market. Their stores require that employee’s meet a certain standard of appearance, and requires that it’s employees follow a “look policy”, in which mentions the banning of black clothing items and “caps”, though no specific definition for caps is stated in said looks policy. In a potential employee’s interview for a job placement within Abercrombie and Fitch stores, if any mention of the “Looks” policy is mentioned, the interviewer is required to notify someone in their Human Resources Department, who determines if an accommodation can be made and if so, how much of one as well. In

The way in which American Apparel diminishes and sexualizes female bodies is detrimental and deep-rooted in macho perceptions about a woman's value. These two advertisements validate how American Apparel uses women`s body for their sales. It collaborates to the degradation of women in our society. Audiences, especially teenagers, will think it is acceptable to compare women in this way. Instead of lifting up women around the world, American Apparel brings them down by making it look like women are only used for sexual purpose to both male and female audiences.

Abercrombie & Fitch is using social and display advertising on their online website. The brand uses display advertising to sell a lifestyle that many young people want to belong too. Abercrombie & Fitch uses models in the catalogs, websites, magazines and store posters, which appear to be in their early twenties to be able to gain the young audience. Abercrombie & Fitch have well-looking male and female models that appears in all social media; A&F male model is typically known to wear A&F pants and no shirt. Abercrombie & Fitch shows how they want their brand identity to connect to beauty and youth. Also, the brand wants to reflect its uniqueness, and be able to connect with young people through social media, and to expand its message of a

U.S. manufacturing creates jobs for Americans. US manufacturing saves cost on deliveries and US manufacturers are held to a higher standard of safety and quality control. Why do we keep buying products overseas? As much as Americans, want “Made in America” products. Can we afford the price? Items Made in America is something many of us can’t afford. For example, a pair of American made Levis 501 jeans ran for $148.00 a pair. T-Shirt from American Apparel was $20.00 and a pair of American-Red Wing work boots cost nearly $210.00, totaling $380.00. Buying products with an overseas label brought the price down. A pair of 501’s made in Mexico and bought at a Macy’s cost $45.00. A four pack of Hanes T-Shirts cost nearly $11.00 and a pair of Sears work boots cost $75.00, totaling $131.00.More and more corporations are finding products manufactured in Thailand, Malaysia and Mexico are of a higher quality in comparison to

American Apparels advertisement has a powerful effect on how we see ourselves and how we see women as an object rather than a human being. For years AA has objectified and sexualized girls and young women in order to advertise their clothing, “In 2013, a male American Apparel model posed in a chequered shirt with the buttons all done up and he was wearing trousers. The same shirt was photographed on a female model, unbuttoned, trouser-less and her arms positioned behind her head submissively.” (10 Shocking Facts You Never Knew About American Apparel Cheish Merryweather ). Female models are portrayed as less than and are only seen as a sexual object in American Apparel clothing advertisement.

Abercrombie and Fitch is widely known for placing their stores in high traffic shopping channels such as popular malls and plazas. A typical consumer would most likely find one of the brand’s main stores, Abercrombie & Fitch or Hollister Co., located in their local malls. Locating the store and products are not issues for the average consumer, but it is when they step foot into an establishment, just pass by it, would be where the problems arise. With the brand’s peak in the early 2000’s, stores were designed for the trendy target market of the time. Creating a “cool,” environment with dim lighting, extravagant décor and store fronts, upbeat music, and wall displays that would draw in “worthy,” customers. While this may have worked well for luring consumers before the recession, things have quickly led to a downward spiral after controversies continued to pile against this once mighty brand. Through the ZMET research method, the consistent negative responses to provocative models on wall displays and advertisement. Many questioned if Abercrombie & Fitch was trying to promote their merchandise or solely on who and what is acceptable to the brand. What used to bring crowds into these stores have backfired due to society becoming more socially conscious and sensitive. This led to participants informing us that they felt only people who looked a certain way are allowed to enter and were intimidated instead of feeling welcomed. The environment of all of the stores under the brand

Abercrombie & Fitch is an American clothing retailer that targets the teenage and collegial demographic. Abercrombie and Fitch has sister stores such as Hollister Co., a southern California inspired lifestyle brand that markets to consumers aged 14-18 and Abercrombie Kids that caters to children 10 and younger. With over 800 stores internationally, they are able to segment their business in 3 ways. They have U.S. retail stores and operations, international stores and direct-to-consumer relations which include online operations in the U.S. and internationally. Abercrombie provides consumers with a range of different products like trendy clothing, personal care products and accessories. Their main focus is to provide a “casual luxury” for those who want to be chic and fashionable.

Fashion media constantly and consistently create, and promote a lifestyle to its viewers. More often than not, it is concerned with the selling of an idea of an ‘ideal life’ and creating an image of a desired lifestyle in the viewer’s minds. It plays a vital role in shaping the viewers’ identities, notions and norms about ethnicity and race, sexuality, class distinction, and self-image amongst other things. In their work, Rhodes and Zuloaga (2012) have pointed out that fashion media describes a spectrum of identity, unified in a general type of signifiers—young women, high status, high sexuality—and through the constant repetition and variation of images on these themes serve to create this identity spectrum. "It is important to remember