Business | Abercrombie's Historic Return to Sarasota...

The fantastic management team now welcomes one and all into the all-new A&F Westfield Southgate,

the first American Abercrombie & Fitch full-price store opened in near of a decade
and signifying Abercrombie's return to destination Sarasota!

#SouthFloridaIsWhereItsAt

S.M. Highlights! | Moosin' Around!, The Summer's Begun...

         THE MOST AWESOME associates in the world are Abercrombie & Fitch guys and girls at the heart of running and repping the internationally-partying All-American icon worldwide! Check out some of our favorite pics so far - since the start of this epic Summer 2015! - in this premier of TSOF's Moosin' Around series where we share our weekly faves from the associates around the world we love!

"It's #friday go #crazy"   |   @abercrombie_munich
2  9     M  A  Y     2  0  1  5

Letter from the Editor! | On Accounts of Discrimination, on Authenticity of Diversity...

A&F Fifth Avenue flagship store as captured summer 2013 and where
the anonymous store model may come from.   |  Image, photographer Charles Marion

         PRECISELY TWO YEARS ago, international condemnation over resurfaced 2006 statements, made by Mike Jeffries, over the targeted and preferred individuals, as consumers and associates for Abercrombie & Fitch Co., brought on a public relations nightmare nastily untimely amid a then just-developing declining performance and an elevating bandwagon-shitstorm against the Company. Fast-forward to two years, and we've found ourselves in a new era, post-Jeffries, though with echoes of the controversial side associated with his tenure ringing on. Now in 2015 (at exactly the same time of the year in 2013 that shit hit the fan), an anonymous store model has had her exposé - on what she purports she witnessed of unethical behavior fostered by the A&F environment - published. And unlike that 2013 incident, I am not going to ignore it and address it: both this and why I never said anything two years ago...

News Now! | Abercrombie Fifth Avenue & Dublin, Top-Tier Windows Unblocked, Exposed...

Detail of a photo from A&F Dublin on opening day, 1 November 2012.
Note the detail of system behind windows.   |   Image, Patrick M. for The Sitch on Fitch

         A SIGNATURE, KEY element introduced with the the rollout of the Abercrombie & Fitch flagship prototype (beginning with A&F Fifth Avenue in 2005), and then implemented onto the mall-based formats by 2007, the distinct, elegantly conceived obstruction implemented on the windows of Abercrombie & Fitch stores were meant to heighten seclusion, privacy and intimacy instore, for the consumer, with the A&F Experience playing out as if in a glorious world of its own in containment from the outside world. However, with the volatile environment of post-Recession fashion retail, the removal of all obstructions at the windows began in 2013 with the intent of exposing the interior to now instead try to make an intrigue-effect on the passerby now able to have a peak inside and check out some sort of windows displays. While the removal of the louvers over Abercrombie & Fitch facades was very much evident from the get-go has it took hold nationwide America, the removal of all original, signature elements secluding the interiors of flagships and, in the case of A&F Dublin, non-flagship top-tiers is well set...

News Now! | Abercrombie & Fitch The Grove, Los Angeles Closing February 21...

The lights, music are turning off...   |   Image, A&F The Grove

         IT MIGHT AS well be the closure of another brand itself. The premiere Abercrombie & Fitch location on the West Coast of the United States, and only second to A&F Fifth Avenue in the country in notability, is slated to officially close. After more than a decade of partying it up at The Grove, Abercrombie & Fitch will be closing doors and turning the lights, music off for the last time as an operating store by the end of this February 21st.

News Now! | Abercrombie Muslim Case Goes to Supreme Court...

         SIX YEARS AFTER a hiring incident involving the employment denial of a female Muslim for need to wear a hijab on the sales floor, case Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc. is now heading to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). The legal dispute has manifested into a more-than-a-half-decade battle that has now evolved to bring a very important question for businesses and at the highest court in the nation: "Whether an employer can be liable under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for refusing to hire an applicant or discharging an employee based on a 'religious observance and practice' only if the employer has actual knowledge that a religious accommodation was required and the employer's actual knowledge resulted from direct, explicit notice from the applicant or employee." The outcome will become a major ruling on hiring and employment policies on religious grounds in America.

In June 2008, then-17-year-old Samantha Elauf applied and attended a subsequent interview, wearing a black "headscarf" (hijab), for a position in sales at the abercrombie kids store in her local Woodland Hills Mall in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Present during the interview were then-managers Randall Johnson and Heather Cooke. Following the rigidly strict guidelines for sales associates, the "Look Policy", of the time, Elauf was ultimately denied, although originally having been marked a high contender for a position, because her wearing of a headscarf on the sales floor would be unagreeable with presentation as dictated to represent the brand (i.e. natural, classic look head-to-toe with strict regulations on whatever accessories/miscellaneous wearings). At one moment, Elauf recalled, "And he was like no she can't work here no matter what, wearing that on her head." The two were merely adhering to the Look Policy solely in regards to the headscarf.

Elauf naturally felt discriminated, nonetheless, and she took her complaint to the EEOC which made legal move, on her behalf, by filing lawsuit in September of that year. The complaint went on the grounds that Abercrombie & Fitch Co. prohibits headgear even when required out of personal religion and that there was no exception considered for Elauf. In this first stage, the verdict turned in favor of her in June 2011 when she was awarded US$20,000 in compensation charges though sans punitive damages awardings. During the trial, Deon Riley, VP of human resources for A&F at the time, testified before the court that the Company has made exceptions for individuals when it comes to religious needs, had not changed but made the policy more clear, and that the headcount and turnover are too high for training for expert capability on real sensitive circumstances and is why management is instructed to reach corporate human resources when the need arises. A jury was not needed for the case as it was determined there was no evidence of malice, though the judge did state that a jury with reason could find evidence involving the two managers of reckless disregard.

Abercrombie & Fitch did not agree with the 2011 verdict and appealed. In October 2013, the 10th United States District Court of Appeals overturned the previous verdict and ruled in favor of A&F; its grounds being that, ultimately, Elauf, despite wearing the headscarf during interview and the assistant manager having assumed she wore as being a Muslim, failed to explicitly ask for religious accommodations: "Ms. Elauf never informed Abercrombie prior to its hiring decision that she wore her headscarf or 'hijab' for religious reasons and that she needed an accommodation for that practice, due to a conflict between the practice and Abercrombie's clothing policy," the ruling stated. Individuals claiming religious discrimination should provide evidence they informed the employer of observed practices and needed accommodation, said the court. The new outcome was told to the U.S. District Court in Tulsa to be submitted in place of the original verdict in the case.

Obviously, the EEOC was not pleased and had no plans on backing down. Finally by May 17, 2014, a time-extension application on filing writ of certiorari was submitted to the Honorable Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor. She granted it on May 19 giving them time to June 26, and another application for another extension was submitted on June 16 which she granted on June 17 giving them time to July 25. The petition for writ of certiorari was filed on July 25 and, after going through the necessary processes, was granted on October 2 officially taking the legal dispute to the Supreme Court.

Title VII is a federal legislative piece of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that makes it illegal to discriminate on someone in the United States under any basis (including religion in relation to this dispute) for employment. Essentially, SCOTUS will be ruling to see if an employer, in a circumstance such as this one, can be said to be violation of Title VII for not hiring or firing someone in a particular matter of "religions observance and practice" ONLY if the employer was aware that religious accommodation was required and that such awareness came from direct, explicit notice from the individual.

If yes, the Supreme Court ruling will be in favor of A&F as Elauf has been determined as not having been direct about a need for religious accommodation. For such a case, if an employer can only be said to be liable under Title VII ONLY if the employer had knowledge of needed religious accommodations by direct, explicit statement by the individual, then there is no ground left for the Elauf complaint.

When applying for a job, you're not asked flat-out if you're a Muslim or a Jew or whatever because it shouldn't matter as it'd be illegal to base consideration of employment of an individual on their religion and belief observances. The question here is should you or should you not be having to explicitly state to the employer that you'll be in need of religious accommodation on the job for being required to wear a "head scarf" (hajib; Muslim), or long skirt (Pentecostal), or Yarmulke (Jew), or whatever else because of your religion. While at work, should you or should you not be able to just wear what you need whenever it arises, due to religion, without giving direct knowledge to the employer your need to and under consideration that there might be a conflict with dress code. If it's an all-the-time thing, to mention it directly during the hiring process. If it's a periodic thing, to mention it during hiring and/or before it comes up. Whatever the situation. Because, if the ruling for EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc. is yes, then you – anyone in America – will have no ground in suing an employer for not hiring or firing you – for wearing something that's out of place with the dress code in light of religious observance – as a result of you not having directly stated your need to do so in the first place because otherwise, had you done so, the employer would have made an exception for you.

We'll keep watch for any new developments on the case...

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News Now! | Abercrombie Back-to-School/Fall 2014 Preview...

         WITH BACK-TO-School / Fall 2014 beginning to settle on in, we all come to be engrossed in intrigue and opinion over the return of dominating full-color photography on instore walls and in the overall marketing campaign. Check out how the new shots fit in as seen, for example, at this Abercrombie & Fitch store at North Star Mall in San Antonio, Texas...

A little over a decade it has been since the stores had once been graced with full-color photographic decor in the signature instore frames. The reintroduction comes as the first half of this greater striding-for-progress 2014 draws to a close, and the unfurling of the typically most profitable part of the year begins. The style of the photography, however, returns color markedly different in the 2010s; it carries on in the digital retouching technique of now. The affect is ultimately striking instore – admirably modern, clean, inspirational and adds a further visual presentation dimension.

However, earlier this year (a timing set for BTS photoshooting), photography in the traditional form of colorscheme was shot by Bruce Weber for A&F. Seen here are models Andrea Soglio (left; store greeter, A&F Milano) and Chase Mattson (SoCal-denizen; A&F openings model; got a spot in Gaga's "G.U.Y." music vid; professional signed model)...

We didn't come to see any of that (if yet) and whatever else came with it, so...

What's the verdict? Give a shout out of your take of things...

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News Now! | Abercrombie Stores Atmosphere Alterations...

         AND THEN MIKE said, "Let there be light!"...figuratively speaking. Since the decision went public in late-May to finally increase photons – light particles, people – across the Abercrombie & Fitch universe, one can now expect to see the awes alit with a more sharpened clarity. As part of the next wave of instore presentation changes, this will come with the 25% reduction of fragrance spray and softening of music volume.

Why the hell? The atmospheric, sensual envelopment – more so at the romantically dark, club-esque A&F Flagships – with blasting tunes and poignant signature scent are hallmarks of an A&F brand instore experience. But as Mike has said over alterations occurring, "[The] customer is changing, and we're ready to change with her and him." And this changing customer has been proving direly elusive in opting for the brighter, softly-soundtracked, clear-aired fash-fashion hubs. Are these and all other new moves throwing out the baby with the bathwater – as Mike once said desparate others partake to doing just to interest all – or not? That's for the devoted patron to decide and for the layman customer to respond to in time.

#THEHOTTESTBLOG correspondent, Patrick M., dropped by A&F London last week...



“ AF IN LONDON IS BRIGHT.
I'VE NEVER SEEN HERE SO BRIGHT. ”

There will be people who will actually be satisfied with the changes (and is to take the gasmask and blowtorch jokes down a notch). But will the aficionado feel weird and in a "twilight zone" of entering a alternated world? Perhaps not, perhaps so. It's not a dramatic change at all, but it is notable shift in overall atmosphere. And is this just being a repositioning to retail vanilla standardness in neglect and regression of unique retail theater that has made the brands iconic?

And then the Abergod said, "Now, profit, go propagate and make your mark,"...with hope.

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Guest Voices! | Letter to Mike: A Very British Progress Report – Part I...

GUEST

PETER

FROM

ENGLAND, UK

DISCUSSING

AMERICAN MARKET SALES & STORES

Dear Mike Jeffries,

After your journey into home office – a quick catch up with the daily financial results for all brands – I'm sure the second most important part of your day is to catch up on the posts on The Stitch on Fitch. You may well remember my first post on October 3rd, 2013,  regarding promotional sales, merchandising and clearance, so I read with interest last November 8th, here on TSOF, the post regarding Abercrombie & Fitch's future business plan. I've now returned to the US where I have experienced the louver-less A&F mall based stores and also the new Hollister storefront at Wellington Green mall, and I wanted to share my views with you on where I feel progress has been made where there is still work to do.

Armed with an even stronger Pound to the dollar, as the UK economy continues to recover from recession, I was intrigued to find out if there were signs of "green shoots" in the A&F and Hollister mall-based stores I have been visiting in Central Florida. Well I'm pleased to say there are a few but, equally, I have a number of concerns I need to share with you not only with what is happening within your stores but also online as well.

So let's start with the stores. Now, I've been a fan for the long haul – well into double digits in years – so I remember the louver less stores of old. And I must admit, while there was a certain elegance and mystique with a storefront covered in louvers, now that they have been removed I feel this does not detract from the stores...it just makes them feel more "mallsy" which, let's be honest, 99% of them are!

And I do like the new Hollister storefront which I saw for the first time at Wellington Green mall: the video wall in the entrance with the beach works well and helps set the SoCal theme. It does now mean that the store blends into the rest of the mall's stores, but there is no point in standing still, and I for one think the beach huts have had their day. And have you added some more spot lights? Walking into the store, it actually seemed brighter. I could actually see the merchandise, and all you need to do now is get rid of those damn plastic potted foliage. Let's be honest, they do get in everyone's way especially in the smaller stores in the UK!!

Back to A&F. Now I'm not going to lie, Mike. I was a bit fearful going into the stores as fresh in my mind was my last experience of stock piled high of reduced merchandise. It was like the back room had taken a life force all of its own and had slowly started taking over the rest of the store. I knew things were bad and wasn't surprised how bad they were when A&F financial results were released for 2013. Well I'm pleased to say the mall-based A&F's are almost back to normal, with only a few racks of reduced garments leading into the back rooms (even the back rooms weren't full of last season's leftovers)!

Now onto this season's range, Mike. I'm not going to beat about the bush here, but there is one word I would use to sum up the men's Spring-Summer collection and that is "uninspiring". While there is a wider spectrum of colours used in the women's, in my opinion, the men's is dull, dreary and drab. Mike, this season's polo tops have to be the dullest I can recall. Now I know plain bold polos might be the fashion, but the fact that all polos are reduced to either US$29 or US$39 would tell me otherwise. Where has the uniqueness and individuality that made A&F so great gone? It's certainly lacking in most of the menswear range, that's for sure. I will give you some clues: I do like the limited edition tees, and I only hope and pray that some bright spark in Home Office decides to do a limited edition re-run of an Ezra Fitch tee or Ruehl tee. Come on, you know this is what we want!!

Continuing the merchandising theme, one of the items on my list to purchase was a couple of pairs of skinny corduroy pants. Finding them on the website was a challenge but nothing like what I faced trying to find them in stores. Seven stores visited in Central Florida, and I couldn't find a single pair so I decided to use the "find in store" option on the website – first putting in Orlando with no such luck, then Tampa same as before...so this is when it gets interesting. I stuck in Miami again. Nothing. Then Boston and again nothing. But guess what? I could pick them up from the 5th Avenue flagship store in NYC!! Now these are not even flagship exclusives, so the question that needs to be asked is just how many stores actually carry any of the corduroy pants range??

Mike, I finally see in your Q1 results earnings conference call on May 29th, and what we call "click & collect" in the UK is coming to your stores in the US – yippee, and about time too! Major stores in the UK have had this service operating for a number of years, and I find it incredulous that it has yet to be rolled out across the brands. I do hope that once this is rolled out, as a tourist visiting the US, if I'm unable to find an item in store, I can order that item and have it delivered to a A&F / Hollister or Abercrombie Kids of my choosing in the US? Also in most stores in the UK, this operates on a next day delivery basis: will you be able to offer the same level of service? Can I also suggest to help boost store traffic and generate store sales: why don't you include some in store coupons with direct to store purchases? You would have certainly got some additional sales out of me had this service been available during my most recent trip to the US.

My final point on merchandising, Mike, is this: there is very little difference in range in smaller stores compared to what is available in larger stores and space utilisation still needs improvement. Now I don't expect you to be able to carry the complete range but, with the lack of availability, it would be naive of you to think that all paying customers are going to order what we cannot find instore online instead. Smaller quantities and a fuller selection of the current range would be helpful. After all, some of us actually want to try before we buy.

Oh, by the way, what's going on with the bags? Retro handles or simply saving a few cents me thinks.

Ok, Mike, last point. models and store associates, or lack of. Now I know a thing or two about retail and know one of the highest costs to any business is personnel costs. My concern is there is a genuine lack of sales staff working in stores. Now I know there may have been sickness, lunch breaks etc., but there is a very fine line between having too many and too few sales associates working instore. For example, one large store had only two people working on the store floor on a busy Saturday afternoon. With the line at the registers at least 10 deep, I put down my purchases, and I wasn't prepared to wait. I wonder how many more people did the same thing. Customer service needs to be your holy grail for your instore customer experience. I hope that in tougher times you haven't been reducing your staffing to dangerous levels across A&F / Hollister stores as this will only have a negative impact on customer service, affect model and associate morale, and potentially reduce store revenue.

Thanks for reading this, Mike. This concludes part one. Next I will be tackling the A&F website so stay tuned, there's more to come...

A&F Citrus Park

A&F Wellington Green

HCo Wellington Green (one of the recently upgraded U.S. HCo stores).

HCo Wellington Green, sideview

HCo Wellington Green, the entrance feat. video feed

Written content composed by Peter M. as Guest Voices contribution at The Sitch on Fitch. Images in this post are by Peter M. for The Sitch on Fitch, and they may not be used/altered with out permission by the author.

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Stores Allure! | A Whole Host of New Stores

WRITTEN BY CAMERON, TSOF CONTRIBUTOR

         ABERCROMBIE IS NOW expanding the number outlet stores they currently have. There are a whole host of stores planned to open...

MIROMAR OUTLETS, ESTERO, FLORIDA
A&F and abercrombie Open Now!

Abercrombie has just opened it's first Floridian outlet store. It sells both Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids merchandise. Other brands at the outlets include Calvin Klein, GUESS, Michael Kors and Swarovski.

NEBRASKA CROSSING, GRETNA, NEBRASKA
A&F Opening Soon! 

Abercrombie will be opening a new outlet store in the super-modern Nebraska Outlet complex. It will sell  purely Abercrombie & Fitch merchandise. Other brands at the outlets include Forever 21, Kate Spade, Levi's and Polo Ralph Lauren.

WOLFSBURG DESIGNER OUTLETS, WOLFSBURG, GERMANY
A&F Opening Soon! 

Abercrombie's newest store in Germany will be at the Wolfsburg Designer Outlets. The store will offer Abercrombie & Fitch products at up to 40% off the RRP. Other brands at this prestige outlet centre include Fossil, Tommy Hilfiger and GANT.

THE STYLE OUTLETS, ZWEIBRUCKEN, GERMANY
A&F Opens Mid-July 2014!

Another of Abercrombie's new outlet stores will also be in Germany, but this time at The Style Outlets in Zweibrucken. The store will sell A&F merchandise. Abercrombie are joining the line-up of internationally known brands including Armani, Barbour, Diesel and Oakley.

LOTTE WORLD, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Hollister Co. Opening 24th July 2014 at 10.30am!

Hollister's newest store in South Korea will be in the brand new Lotte World Mall expansion. It is due to open at some point this year. Current tenants include Adidas, Nike and Sketchers.

IFS CHENGDU, CHENGDU, CHINA
A&F Opening 28th August 2014!

China is set to get a new Abercrombie & Fitch mall store. It will be located in the IFS Mall, Chengdu. The mall already features some of the worlds top brands, including Prada, Dolce & Gabanna, Valentino and Lane Crawford.


Come across any of the upcoming stores? Leave a comment below, or share a photo on Instagram with us by tagging '#THEHOTTESTBLOG'.

UPDATE: The A&F opening date for IFS Chengdu was found on Instagram. The post has been revised to show this.
UPDATE #2: The Hollister Co. opening date for Lotte World, Seoul was found on Facebook. The post has been revised to show this.

Spotted in Pop Culture! | 'Neighbors' Zac Efron, Seth Rogan Abercrombie Greeters...

         SO THIS PAST weekend was the official U.S. release of the American comedy Neighbors, a raunchy hilarity of stereotypical numbbrain frat madness clashing with the starting-off suburban family of a young couple and their newborn. It stars Seth Rogan – we all know ridic-cray sh*t's gonna go down if he's in it – alongside Zac Efron, Dave Franco, and Halston Sage (model for A&F "Stars on the Rise" Back-to-School/Fall 2013). Well, after all the epic "battling" that takes place between the two opposing camps, Mac (Rogan) and Teddy (Efron) become chummy and amusingly decide to pose as store greeters, in front of an Abercrombie & Fitch, in mutual humor...

“Seth just took his shirt off and just started standing next to us. Literally, I think [director Nicholas Stoller] was like, ‘Try to get people into the store.’ So customers would come by — real, legit customers — and we would just try to usher them in. And nobody would come in. It’s so sad. Pretty much the whole scene was improv, but I was kind of embarrassed I couldn't get anybody in the store.” – Zac Efron, MTV News

The scene was filmed in the spring of 2013 – as more so evident by the #ABERCROMBIEHOT Spring-Summer 2013 framed photo behind them – at A&F Universal Citywalk located in Universal City, California, in the Greater LA Area.

Neighbors' rank currently stands at a decent 74% "certified fresh" with popular film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, and it holds a "generally favorable reviews" stamp with Metacritic. The film is rated "R" for pervasive language, strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, and drug use throughout. The film took in US$51+ million on its North American opening weekend coming in at #1 after surprisingly beating The Amazing Spider-Man 2 which dropped 61% on its second weekend, from its first, at the box office.

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Stores Allure! | Hollister's New Storefront Rollout Continues...

WRITTEN BY CAMERON, TSOF CONTRIBUTOR

         WHEN ABERCROMBIE ANNOUNCED the new Hollister Co. storefront, I was optimistic. I had grown to love the beach shack entrance; it seemed very homely. The new storefront was such a dramatic change. For the first time ever, you could actually see inside the store. It is based on the Hollister storefront being primarily used in the Asian market.

Abercrombie initially announced that it was launching the storefront in some select locations, and the new storefront may be staying testing furthers with a few more stores being upgraded to the new facade. The Danbury Fair Mall in Connecticut, The Mall at Wellington Green in Florida, and the Del Amo Fashion Center in California are of the most recent...

HCo Del Amo Fashion Center, California.   |   Image, Store #30217

HCo Del Amo Fashion Center, California.  |  Image, Store #30217

HCo Del Amo Fashion Center, California.  |  Image, Store #30217

HCo Danburry Fair Mall, Connecticut.  |  Image, Retail Eye

HCo Danburry Fair Mall, Connecticut.  |  Image, Retail Eye

HCo The Mall at Wellington Green.   |    Image, Wellington Green

On the side of critique, Retail Eye did comment, "New Hollister mall store front. Inside same. Not sure I understand how this is going to improve comp."

Have you spotted a new store? Let us know on Instagram by tagging #THEHOTTESTBLOG! What do you think of the new stores? Comment below, and we'll be sure to reply!

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S.M. Highlights! | Waterballin' at Universal Citywalk...

         CHECK OUT BASKETBALL freestyler @KalaniBallFree's (follow!) awesome moves performed at a waterfall – incidentally in front of Abercrombie & Fitch – at Universal Citywalk in Universal City, California!




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News Now! | Gilly Hicks Online Retail Future...

April notice for British customers on gillyhicks.co.uk.

         GILLY HICKS ONLINE retail operations are being restructured for the new post-storefronts era now in dawn for the division. Head on over to The Gilly Galzette to read the FULL REPORT (here) covering currently happening developments and what's to come!

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News Now! | Hollister Co. New 2014 Store Format Rollout Begins...

WRITTEN BY CAMERON, TSOF CONTRIBUTOR

Official corporate computer generated rendering of new HCo. prototype, 2013.

         AS THE #NEWFUTURE begins settling in, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has started rolling out the all-new Hollister Co. storefront prototype. With prospects to begin transforming the HCo. chain of stores positively for a new age, the visually striking new front aesthetic incorporates flagship-elevated detailing and notably introduces the prominence of window display for these shopping center-based stores. The rollout of the new format is currently in its testing stage to be played out with select stores which are to keep the remodeling whatever the results.

One of the lucky Hollister stores to get the upgrade is HCo. store #30172 located in the Triangle Town Center mall of Raleigh, North Carolina. The store was closed for a month, but is now open again and looking great!

BEFORE: Hoarding wall being installed in preparation for the remodeling.

AFTER: HCo Triangle Town Center now open after the remodeling.

The new storefront can be much appreciated for its new, forward approach and as having the brand now more sophisticated and connected to the times. The beach hut entrance will be missed, but it perfectly seems the right time for the new store fittings to begin.

Voice out: what's your take on the new storefront format? Your store slated for the relift? Be sure to share your pics with hashtag #THEHOTTESTBLOG and show off your new store with the world!

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Corporate Culture! | Abercrombie Diversity & Inclusion Awareness Week 2014...

         IT'S THAT TIME again! Via five days of interactive activities for associates around the world, Diversity & Inclusion Awareness Week at Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is a period dedicated to the importance of the significant ethics valued at the Company.






In 2013, a European associate told The Sitch on Fitch that he had never worked for a company which placed such a unique and delightful emphasis on key aspects of a positive and progressive team. As a wonderful symbol of our multifaceted American spirit and, too, as a multinational company, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. prioritizes making a positive impact everywhere be its presence on the planet in our modern, globalized world...

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Guest Voices! | Abercrombie & Fitch Fall 2013 Sales Bargins...

GUEST

PETER

FROM

ENGLAND, UK

DISCUSSING

AMERICAN MARKET SALES

Well as much as I don't like the racks of clearance items or promotions (see my previous post), the cynic in me can't help but to bag a bargain at Abercrombie & Fitch...especially with the ridiculous amount of promos on. However, if you are expecting more controversy in this piece, the only thing you will find is the crazy low prices I paid in comparison to the full prices back here in the good old UK. So without further ado, I want to share with you some of the items that were too good to pass up and made their way into my suitcase for my return home! (I've also made notes of some bargains for the ladies, too!)...

Now my price conversion guide is as follows: original GB£ price in UK market compared alongside original US$ price in America; then clearance price of that item in US dollars, and then finally that clearance purchase price converted to UK pounds at a rate of US$1.56 (which was the rate at the time I used to covert my pounds to dollars). State tax has not been included.

All men like to smell good, (me too ha-ha!) so what better than a bargain cologne! A&F Crest will do nicely: GB£46; US$44, but at sale price of US$25 at £16!! A saving of £30 per bottle! Right, I'll have four of those then!

New tees? OK, let's have three different Newcomb Lake crew tees. UK£30; US$24.99, but at clearance for $12.49 at £8!! Yep you read that correctly!!

Cool denim shirts anyone? GB£78; US$78, but at sale price of $39 at £25! That's £53 I can spend on something else!

Pants, good for casualwear and workwear: UK£78; US$50, but on clearance for $25 at £16! Really? And we are talking olive not some of the crazy bright colours.

And as a final example for the men, you can't beat a nice comfy pair of sweatpants for loafing around the house: UK£68; US$68, but on clearance for $39 at £25!

What about ladies apparel I hear you cry? Long sleeve ladies' tees, as one example: UK£38; US$38, but on clearance for $9 at £6!

Another one for the ladies, a pink plaid shirt: UK£58, US$58, (this item had been red lined four times!) on clearance for $14.99 at £10!!

This is just a selection of my bargains in the crazy land of promotions that is Abercrombie & Fitch in the United States. One final thought: I wonder what the sales value is from other visitors to the US spending in A&F at the present time? Because no doubt this will be propping up domestic sales figures. Without these additional sales, the wheels would well and truly be coming off the A&F wagon...let's just hope one of them hits that damn fox (then what will it say)!!!

Over to you Mike...

Peter

P.S. Get a load of what I came home to in the UK. Limited and not as steeply low as in the US, but other international readers can get a look at how it is here. To get the same free shipping deal as in the US, here you have to spend the pound-to-dollar equivalent of US$160+...

Written by Peter for The Sitch on Fitch series, Guest Voices. Edited and published by Editor-in-Chief, C.E.R. Images by Peter for The Sitch on Fitch.

Guest Voices! | Abercrombie & Fitch Promotional Sales and Clearances...

GUEST

PETER

FROM

ENGLAND, UK

DISCUSSING

AMERICAN MARKET SALES

Now as most of you may know financial results for Abercrombie & Fitch in the US haven't been anything to shout about – what with sales across all brands down, and comments from Mike Jeffries coming back to haunt him and the brand. Mike's 2000s comments that he would sooner destroy clothes rather than having the wrong type of people wearing the brand resurfaced and sparked celebrity backlash with the likes of Ellen Degeneres bashing A&F over its decision to drop size 12 jeans for women. Based on what I have experienced this past week or so, Mike might need furthermore to start up a mass bonfire as the amount of clearance merchandise cluttering up A&F stores across Florida makes the brand seem more like a bargain basement rather than a near-luxury casualwear brand.

Now I like a bargin like the next person, but in all my years of shopping at the brand I have never found it harder to pay full price for an item of clothing than I have now. And this led me to think: why clutter up the stores with so much reduced merchandise? I mean, if you pop into the back room of an A&F store they look like a grenade has gone off!! You really need to have the perseverance of a saint or a lot of time on your hands to sort, as a customer, through the endless piles of jeans and tees. And why aren't the associates ("models") trying to make it easier for us customers to buy items by actually sorting out the sizes instead of standing around looking pretty! Good thing I don't run a store as I'd know what my associates would be doing - helping to shift the endless piles of reduced merchandise!

So what to do, what to do? Well if it was me, A&F need to open more outlets to allow them to shift more of their reduced items out of stores and into the right arena where customers expect to find bargains as currently the amount of clearance merchandise cheapens the look and feel of the stores.

Secondly, if you can't sell it at full retail, why not lower the retail price in the first place! Can't quite see this happening, but if a woman's tee can be reduced from $38 down to $9 then surely a price point could be reached somewhere in the middle?

Thirdly, too many offers makes it confusing for the customers. At the time of me writing this in the US, all clearance was between 40-70% off; jeans 50-60% off; if you spend over $100 you get 25% off; all denim shirts at $39; sweatpants for $39; puffer jackets 50% off...I could go on and on and on! But I'm not finished: in certain stores, they even give you a voucher for 25% off! Did I pay full price for a single item that I purchased on this trip? Hell no!!

Among the storm of promotions rolled out recently...

 

Free shipping at the Club has even been dropped to US$75.

Fourth, the person who gives final approval for some of the designs has a lot to answer for! But I'm sure we have all gone into stores and thought they are never going to sale those not-even-reduced, garish coloured twill shirts, anyone? Or racks and racks of men's tank tops!

And if all else fails Mike, could just get the BBQs going because he is going to need to pull some all nighters to shift what's left in this season's clearance.

All that's left for me to say for now is that if you are planning a vacation to the USA and intend to shop at A&F, then don't even think about paying for the over priced pieces we all pay outside North America...it's a discounts circus here and chances are you won't have to pay full price – unless you want to – when you shop on your vacation. But spare a thought when you are bagging a bargain: does a store rammed full of reduced items still give off that "aspirational" "casual luxury" feel? I'll leave that for you to decide.

Peter