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
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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 Centro Oberhausen Opening Debuts New Indoor Mall Prototype...

A&F Centro Oberhausen feat. the all-new mall prototype for Abercrombie & Fitch.

         BEARING A FACE of the future, the first mall-based Abercrombie & Fitch store in Europe henceforth welcomes the passionate shopper to experience the tomorrow now. Currently the only Abercrombie & Fitch store of its kind in the world (with a similar, adapted aesthetic having opened days prior in outdoors multi-level placement at the Chengdu IFS mall), A&F Centro Oberhausen in Germany is situated in the former Gilly Hicks spot in the shopping center, and it features the reimagined elements of the new A&F mall prototype.

Associates and fans had a most wonderful inaugural day in experiencing the spirit of this new premium location now live! Check out sharings from the day...

"Grand opening today!"   |   Image, @jan_saunier, associate
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"Abercrombie and Fitch Store Eröffnungsfeier in #Oberhausen :)"   |   @iam_mark1922
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"We did it!"   |   @bvaimart, associate
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"Wer auch immer du bist, danke für das bild haha"
[Whoever you are, thanks for the pic haha]   |   @ginnylein, fan
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Abercrombie & Fitch plans on introducing the all-new mall store prototype in the American market during this third quarter (Q3) of the 2014 fiscal year; it furthermore anticipates on accelerating this revamp expansion across the chain in the United States during FY2015. There is no official word yet on further upcoming mall locations in Europe, though A&F has plans to open another in China by this year's end, and the rate of openings expansion across the Chinese market is to accelerate during FY2015.

Very coolly the nation with the most international A&F locations to its own, Germany now boasts six Abercrombie & Fitch stores: three flagships (Düsseldorf, Hamburg, and Munich), one mall store (Oberhausen), and two outlet stores (Wolfsburg and Zweibrucken). Furthermore, North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen) – the most populous, wealthiest in terms of GDP, and most industrious – is the only state to be home to two A&Fs – Düsseldorf and Oberhausen – in the country.

The description page for Abercrombie & Fitch on CentrO's website uses a slightly altered version, and in German language translation, of the new descriptor released in July for the brand (along with those of the rest of the A&F Family):

"The modern Abercrombie & Fitch is the next generation of effortless all-American style. The essence of laidback sophistication with an element of simplicity, A&F sets the standard for great taste. Confident and engaging, the Abercrombie & Fitch legacy is rooted in a heritage of quality craftsmanship and focused on a future of creative ambition."

"Das heutige Abercrombie & Fitch ist die nächste Generation vom leichtgängig typisch amerikanischen Stil. Mit seiner Art von Einfachheit und Raffinesse setzt A&F den Maßstab für guten Geschmack. Vom klassischen Campusleben bis hin zu Impressionen auf Reisen erweckt A&F Geschichten von Abenteuer und Entdeckungen zum Leben. Zuversichtlich und fesselnd ist das Vermächtnis von Abercrombie & Fitch, basierend auf hochwertiger Handwerkskunst mit dem ehrgeizigen Streben in eine kreative Zukunft."

The future is gold, indeed...

Stay FIERCE!

Check out the preceding post for further detail on location and perspectives (here).

A&F Centro Oberhausen (DE-ANF; #11191)
Centro Allee 117 - C043
46047 Oberhausen
Deutschland
Tel: 02086 2018647

Opening day: 10:00AM - 9:00PM (21:00)
Monday-Saturday: 10:00AM - 8:00PM (20:00)
Sunday: closed

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News Now! | Abercrombie & Fitch CentrO Oberhausen...

         IN WHAT IS becoming the post-flagships openings era for leading international expansion efforts for the Abercrombie & Fitch brand, we are now experiencing the rise of overseas mall-based premium locations. The first international stores did technically open in Canada back in 2006, though those were merely an extension of the A&F chain format from the United States on into the greater North American market. Overseas expansion took off with the entrance into the European and Asian markets in 2007 and 2009, with A&F London and A&F Tokyo, respectively, and now the Company (well into the 2010s and in a markedly different world at large) is making those regional markets' primary robust economies the ground for its first overseas mall shops – China, which will be opening its first of such at the Chengdu IFS, and now Germany in CentrO Oberhausen...

The Abercrombie & Fitch community well knows of the CentrO shopping center as having been most famously the host of the first and only Gilly Hicks store – opened on 8 December 2011 – in continental Europe, and it was the last GH location to close in the chain this year. Well, the Company made the decision to convert the retail unit at CentrO into Europe's first Abercrombie & Fitch mall-based shop.

Although a pragmatic choice in part of the Company, the development of opening such an A&F location at CentrO is considerably susceptible to eyebrow raising. Crestfallen will be the British fan who has been expecting to have the first for a mall-based overseas A&F since the London opening; Abercrombie's presence there has been greater and furthermore reasonable premium expansion in the United Kingdom is long overdue. However, in Germany, while the fans there can rejoice, the decision to plop the shop in Oberhausen – what various Germans across the board consider an unappealing rural place (to sum-up their words politely) with CentrO as the only thing to do there – is mixed with subtle sentiments that it's not most ideal, at least, for a new retail endeavor (the same opinion they have over having introduced Gilly Hicks there in the first place). Nevertheless, CentrO itself is a great, wonderful attraction on the Continent; it is located in Nordrhein-Westfalen – the country's state with the highest GDP and at the heart of the "European megalopolis" – and is among the biggest of mall's in the EU and boasts popular European and international brands.

Hiring process for A&F CentrO Oberhausen has now been ongoing, and this latest FIERCE gift to Germany – reportedly around 500sqm (about 5,400sqft) – is still under wraps for now...

Joining its Hollister Co. sibling only a walk away, A&F CentrO Oberhausen opens doors this fall...

Stay FIERCE!

P.S. In July, Abercrombie & Fitch also opened its first outlet store locations in Germany at Wolfsburg Designer Outlets (in the state of Lower Saxony/Niedersachsen) and the more elusive Zweibrücken Style Outlets (in the state Rhineland-Palatine/Rheinland-Pfalz).

Image in this post by Erik94 of Neu Eröffnungen.

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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.

Stay FIERCE!

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

S.M. Highlights! | Gilly Hicks St. David's 2, Cardiff Closing Goodbyes...

         HEARTFELT LAST GOODBYES from the gorgeous #GILLYHICKSGIRLS teammembers of the very notable and so-much beloved GH St. David's 2 shop! Head on over to The Gilly Galzette (here) to see all their bittersweet sharings from the heart... #GillyHicksForever❤️

Stay FIERCE!

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

Gilly Hicks Westfield London Closing Goodbyes...

         HEARTFELT LAST GOODBYES from the gorgeous #GILLYHICKSGIRLS teammembers of the once landmark and historic GH Westfield London (#51002) shop! Head on over to The Gilly Galzette (here) to see all their bittersweet sharings from the heart...

Stay FIERCE!

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

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!

...Stay FIERCE!

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

News Now! | Gilly Hicks St. David's 2, Cardiff Closing...

Cashwrap inside GH St. David's 2.   |   Follow @gillygalzette on Instagram!
Photo by Rhys for The Gilly Galzette

         One of the most robust of the Gilly Hicks international shops in the business, GH St. David's 2 in Cardiff, Wales, will be having its last moments this weekend! We're all so sad to see this one special location finally go. #WillBeMissed! ...DISCOVER all about pending closure by heading on over to The Gilly Galzette, (here)!

Stay FIERCE!

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

Stores Allure! | Gilly Hicks Bluewater at Greenhithe, Kent...

         THIS IS ONLY a small preview of the selection of photos showcased at The Gilly Galzette of the interior of GH Bluewater before its nearing definite closing. The ultimate destination for #GILLYHICKSGIRLS and guy-mates, head on over to the Galzette for the entirety of the collection, (here)...

Stay FIERCE!

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

News Now! | Gilly Hicks Bluewater, Kent Closing...

Broadcasting feed from Bondi Beach, Gilly Hicks at Bluewater.
Photo by Peter M. for The Gilly Galzette.

         GILLY HICKS AT the Bluewater shopping center of Greenhithe, Kent, England now has its definite closing date set! It's only one of six remaining international stores (including an outlet) which will be fully gone by the end of this first quarter of FY2014 drawing to a close within a month. Furthermore, we've got exclusive insight as to the fate of this particular GH Bluewater unit which happens to be the only GH in-mall store internally connected to an adjacent Hollister Co. Pier...

Discover the expected closing date, unit's future, and much more by heading on over to The Gilly Galzette, (here)!

Stay FIERCE!

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

News Now! | Gilly Hicks Regent Street, London Closing...

WRITTEN BY CAMERON, TSOF CONTRIBUTOR

Closed Gilly Hicks Regent Street store in late-afternoon, Hollister still
trading next door.  |  Photo by Patrick M. for The Sitch on Fitch

         AS IS UNFORTUNATELY well known, the Gilly Hicks brand has been shuttering its storefronts in light of a new future with a full focus on direct-to-consumer e-commerce operations. (Initial report: Part 1 | Part 2). All locations in its home United States market have now closed since last month.

While stores in the European market have remained opened for now while subject to applicable notice and consultation provisions, the first closing has now happened with a very high note. As of late, Gilly Hicks on Regent Street – the most high-profile Gilly Hicks store apart from GH Westfield London – will no longer be opening its doors for good. Memorably, GH Regent Street opened in unison with HCo on 12 May 2012 in the most ostentatious retail inaugurations event in London a few short weeks before the opening of the London 2012 Summer Olympics. The closing of the Gilly Hicks spot has been of particular curiosity to many since the announcement in November 2013 as to what will happen to such a premium commercial real estate piece in leased possession by A&F Co., and how it will be affecting Hollister as the property as a whole is internally one greater unit with the divisions having flowed into the other.

European stores which remain open as of now:

Westfield, London, UK (first ever European opening)

Bluewater, Kent, UK

Westfield Stratford, London, UK

St David's, Cardiff, UK

Centro Oberhausen, Oberhausen, Germany

Shop all the latest Gilly Hicks styles on the online store, gillyhicks.com. You are more than welcome to share your pics of remaining GH stores before their closings with the hashtag #THEHOTTESTBLOG...

Stay FIERCE!

Update 28/02/14 - The Gilly Hicks store in the Bentall centre has now closed. The post has been amended to show this.

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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...

Stay FIERCE!

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News Now! | Abercrombie Kids Savile Row, London New Developments...

         THE JOY IS truly wondrous to finally see the abercrombie-branded construction hoarding wall now up after more than two years of dragging struggle to bring this upcoming store into realization. The planned abercrombie kids flagship store – the first standalone a&f kids flagship in the world – is now beautifully manifesting itself at No.3 Savile Row a stone's throw from A&F London. The roadblocks over the past prolonged period of battle have been annoying and tiring, but to be left in the past for good riddance. We couldn't be anymore happy to finally see this retail project flourishing more onsite, and this wonderful and positive new development comes beautifully as we get ever more merry for the Holidays!

How beautiful is that! Oh, and check out that construction
guy just chillin' there on break on the window sill! LOL
Photo by Jen B., 12 December 2013

Permission documents as displayed on the hoarding wall.

The project description reads: "Internal and external alterations comprising retail accommodations on the lower ground [floor], ground [floor], 1st and 2nd floors with associated office accommodation on the 3rd and 4th floors." It is expected to be completed by 41 weeks after the starting date which has been marked as October 28, 2013. Forty-one weeks exactly after that date falls on August 11 (unrelated, though incidentally, the A&F Hong Kong two-year anniversary). We can expect the opening in the latter-half of 2014.

The collaborating designer is the firm Househam Henderson which has done work for the likes of Tom Ford, Montblanc, Bottega Veneta, and many significant high-profile locations for Abercrombie & Fitch Co. in Europe.

Stay FIERCE!

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

News Now! | Hollister Co. Euralille, France Opening December 12...

WRITTEN BY CAMERON, TSOF CONTRIBUTOR

French advertising for the upcoming opening!

         DUDES AND BETTYS, check it out! Just in time for the holidays, France will be welcoming its 13th Hollister Co. Pier! The awesome partying is set to start on December 12, at 10:00AM (CET; UTC+1), and it's all going down at the Euralille shopping center in Lille! If you're in town, definitely plan to surf on in...

This store really does look great with its two level facade. I really do like the two-storey concept and I think this store shows it off perfectly! It just has something special about it: maybe it's how the middle part of the ground floor is indented, leaving the two "cubes" there at the side? I dunno, but I'll definitely have to go check out this store at some point!

I'm surprised that they have continued with the old storefront, but then again, this store type really fits this space well. I couldn't see the newer store fitting working in this space...

_____________________

_____________________

This is one store opening that I am genuinely excited by as there's just something special about this "beach shack". All I'm saying is the guys at Hollister have done such a good job at designing this store! So yeah, if you can, definitely drop by even if it is just for a photo with the Hottest Lifeguards...you'll just end up being enticed to shop anyhow! ;)

Stay FIERCE!

#HOLLISTERFRANCE!

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

Written by Cameron J. for The Sitch on Fitch. Edited by C.E.R.

News Now! | Abercrombie & Fitch Paris Fire on Champs-Élysées...

The Paris Brigade in action amid disaster at A&F Paris.
Images by the BSPP used for illustrative purposes only.

         FEU DANS LA Ville-Lumière! In a most unfortunate strike of freak occurrences, on Sunday, November 24, the interior of the Abercrombie & Fitch Paris flagship store became a storm of hellish fury. The Brigade de Sapeurs-Pompiers de Paris – a French Army unit reserved exclusively for the city's fire service – responded immediately at around 6:45AM (CET; UTC +1) and made haste in dying out the flames and attempting to air out the premises. It was on a section of the sales floor on the second level where the fire took hold; and although safety mechanisms helped contain it at about 1,076 sqft (100 sqm) of fire damage, the heavy black smoke caused more extensive problems as it permeated throughout the entire place and reduced visibility to less than 8 inches only after the fire had died. Ultimately, 72 firefighters and 22 engines were on location after more than 2 hours in response on the famed Avenue de Champs-Élysées...

Since its memorable opening back in May 2011 (who can forget the world's first and globally-buzzed week of the 101 A&F hottest guys! See here and here), Abercrombie's Parisian location had purveyed the brand's globally iconic clothing, accessories, and fragrance to thousands upon thousands of visitors entranced by the wholly unique and unparalleled shopping experience. The four-level sales space interior was a majestic display of No.23 Champs-Élysées' special grandeur in synthesis with elements of the exceptional all-American heritage of Abercrombie & Fitch. Largely regarded by the brand's visiting fans as arguably the best A&F Flagship in Europe, the once-pristine A&F Paris will now have to be gutted and undergo full internal restoration: "It has to be totally refitted. Everything has to be thrown out," stated French Lieutenant colonel Frédéric Grosjean.

_____________________

The original A&F Paris as seen in some pics from our TSOF photo archives.

Photos by Mark Verheyen, 2012.

_____________________

This ill-fated circumstance comes at an even more terribly inopportune moment for Abercrombie & Fitch Co. at a time when Company sales figures have been trending negative. The significant damage and to-be-extensive temporary closing of the international, heavy-traffic A&F Paris store is a major hit to the Company's capital and its short-term overseas sales. After the disaster, there are also now sizable losses procured in original on-site investment and merchandise. And adding insult to injury, the fact that this went down incidentally on the eve of the generally heavy Holidays shopping consumer activity on one of the world's busiest streets.




A&F Paris is the second Abercrombie & Fitch flagship store to ever have been subject to fire damage. However, the degree of destruction in Paris is beyond anything that happened back in 2011 when A&F Fifth Avenue broke out in contained fire on the fifth level (office space) and sparing the sales floors below without any dramatic damage. While A&F Fifth Avenue was able to operate again after barely even 2 weeks closed, the work to restore the Paris location will be extensive, the Company should move quickly in tackling the sudden project, and a fully-fledged reopening of A&F Paris will have to occur sometime soon after the following weeks of laborious work to get done...

We can only express our deepest regret for this to have happened to the great A&F Paris team. But with a strong, resilient crew, you can bet that No.23 will be #ABERCROMBIEHOTer than ever in no time!

Stay FIERCE!

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

News Now! | Abercrombie and Hollister Sicilia Outlet Village Stores...

Perfectly situated near-central on the quintessentially Mediterranean Italian island of Sicily is the town of Agira in the province of Enna. Known for its beautiful churches with historical artworks, Agira is also home to an exclusive outlet shopping center purveying modern upscale wares of the Italian and international fashion scene...the Sicilia Outlet Village. And among fashion retailers such as Armani, Gucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, and Versace, to just name a few, are the recently opened Abercrombie & Fitch/abercrombie kids and Hollister Co. outlet stores!

These openings at the Sicilia Outlet Village are the latest in a new trend of A&F Co. outlet stores opening in Europe. Furthermore, these two in Agira mark the second A&F/kids retail location in Italy (apart from the flagship location in Milan); the second dual A&F/kids outlet in Europe; and the first Hollister outlet store in Italy.

 Sicilia Outlet Village reps promoting the stores...

See more from the album, (here)!

A&F/kids at the Sicilia Outlet Village...

Stay FIERCE!

Images in this post courtesy Sicilia Outlet Village.

Cameron in Scotland! | New Body Care Scents at Hollister!

Hey guys,

Have any of you dudes noticed the all-new cheeky scents now available in Hollister? The brand's released two new body sprays: one named "Not Tide Down" and another called "Sprayed and Lei'd"...

 

I popped into the Buchanan Galleries store in Glasgow yesterday and bought three of Not Tide Down. I would've bought three of the Sprayed and Lei'd, if only I had been able to carry all of my purchases!

The prices are as follow:

UK: £12 each, or 3 for £24

US: $12 each, or 3 for $18

The cans are now available on the US and UK websites.

I have to say, I'm exceptionally jealous of all you guys in the USA. The price for 3 in the US, is actually just $5 more than buying just one can over here!

Have you bought a can? What do you think of the newest body sprays? Let me know in the comments below, and I'll be sure to reply to you!

Stay FIERCE
~Cameron

Under Construction! | Hollister Co. Utrecht, Netherlands Store...

Arguably to be the most beautiful and culture-steeped Hollister Co. location on the planet, the upcoming HCo in Utrecht – to be the Netherlands second pier of the Southern California fantasy! – is being housed within the magnificent Frese Burch building at Oudegracht 113. (See original post). Weeks ago, rumors hinted at a September 5 opening, but that became apparent as obviously not to be. The opening is set for Thursday, September 26. Our guy, Thomas, dropped by to check on how progress has been going on, now in "post-production," you could say...

Nearing imminent completion, inauguration time is bound to be very soon, indeed!

#STOKED

We'll keep you posted...

Stay FIERCE!

UPDATE: OPENING SEPTEMBER 26!!!

The Sitch on Fitch thanks its contributor, Thomas, for his part in the creation of this post. Images in this post are © Thomas V. for The Sitch on Fitch. Images may not be used/altered without permission by the author.