Models So Hot They Were Featured More Than Once! | Ashley Hinshaw...

 Actor Ashley Hinshaw at the A&F Stars on the Rise party

hosted at A&F The Grove on July 11.

As this Back-to-School/Fall 2013 fashion season draws to a close, we now turn our attention to gorgeous actor Ashley Hinshaw as one of the two featured artists in this season who've actually rendezvoused with Abercrombie & Fitch Co. more than once prior...this is the return of Models So Hot They Were Featured More Than Once!

Model test polaroids c.2006

#INHOLLISTER

Debuting her beauty at Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Ashley's first major work for the Company was her appearance in the Hollister Co. Spring-Summer 2007 campaign photography by Bruce Weber. Indeed, this was back when the brand was represented by fresh, romantic, natural photography exuding eternal sun-kissed dream...

#ABERCROMBIEHOT

Fast-forwarding into 2013, this now gracefully matured young beauty made an exclusive return for the "A&F Stars on the Rise" BTS/Fall 2013 campaign. The refreshing campaign, after prior consecutive seasons of monotonous photography, made a return to appreciated A&F traditions of classic, natural settings. Ashley's photography was particularly outstanding above all others for its exceptional evocation of raw, authentic all-American spirit in shining sublimity...

"Glowing with a classic radiance of golden Americana, actor Ashley Hinshaw's quintessential photography, by our icon Bruce Weber, evoke artistically a timeless ideal of nature, labor, and freedom. [Furthermore, with her loveliness recalling lady Columbia, and with the expansive backgrounds idealized as a romanticized frontier, one can also attain a sense of the essence of Manifest destiny as being captured in contemporary form.] Her pieces worn in the photos are denim works by Abercrombie & Fitch following in step with all-American casual attitude. "

– C.E.R., Editor-in-Chief, The Sitch on Fitch

#WELOVEASHLEY!

For our gracious #StarOnTheRise beauty, we can only wish for her a most glorious Manifest destiny across dreams in success...

Stay #FIERCE!

P.S. Check out Ashley, as seen in the television series Gossip Girl, in the popular post Abercrombie & Fitch in Gossip Girl, (here)! Also, see how to create your own Ashley-inspired looks (here)!

Written content © C.E.R., The Sitch on Fitch.

Tales of Vintage! | Abercrombie & Fitch Magazine Fall 2004: The Intro...

PRESENTER

C.E.R.

FROM

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FEATURING

A&F MAGAZINE, FALL 2004

As a token of appreciation for having aided him with his university thesis, a kind friend of mine, studying in Budapest, presented to me as a gift a vintage, now-collectible copy of the A&F Magazine Fall 2004. Considering me, you know I was stoked. Particularly because the Fall 2004 issue, released 14 July 2004, is the premier issue of the then-new A&F Magazine which ultimately represented the start of something fresh, in attitude for Abercrombie & Fitch, after the December 2003 cancellation of the A&F Quarterly. Furthermore beautifully, the issue was the first to be used as an advertising vehicle for the Ezra Fitch higher-end clothing line which had made its debut that fashion season. To my friend, you know who you are, and I'll always cherish this for cultural and sentimental value...

I vividly remember the first time I skimmed through the pages of this A&F Magazine issue this late-May 2013 and thought to myself, "Oh, the tales this thing could tell." Really, because, as you can only imagine, this copy has had itself quite the journey since it was first purchased at whatever A&F store here in the States where it was originally on shelf. I'll forever wonder who that person is who walked out of that Abercrombie & Fitch store with it in shopping bag....because it – their copy, now being mine – has now ultimately found itself on The Sitch on Fitch. And nine years later, too. Nine being my special number.

What's furthermore incidental is that this issue came to my possession nearing nine years later as the Back-to-School (BTS) 2013 season was being finalized for imminent launch...with this BTS 2013 harkening back to the tradition of profiling young stars on the rise. The BTS 2004 campaign was themed 'A&F Rising Stars', the first of such a themed campaign, and the premier A&F Magazine profiled Michelle Trachtenberg (Ice Princess; 17 Again; Gossip Girl), Poppy Montgomery (Without a Trace), Justin Bruening (All My Children; Knight Rider; Ringer), Taylor Swift, and Olivia Wilde (The O.C.; Tron: Legacy) among many others while featuring campaign photography including actors Kellan Lutz (Twilight) and AnnaLynne McCord (90210) and high-profile model Hilary Rhoda (face of Estée Lauder beauty; Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues 2009, 2010, 2011). And so coincidences of 2013 – believe me, many more than just these I've noted – sprung into realizing this progressive, yet nostalgically-juxtaposed, BTS 2013 season on THE HOTTEST BLOG of #StarsOnTheRise and A&F classics and tales of vintage.

This A&F Magazine Fall 2004 was meant for me to share with you at this point in time, and so I can only oblige with fate. There is much to share. Thus, the issue will be presented on The Sitch on Fitch in special edition installments of Tales of Vintage. While the series is originally a Thursdays-weekly affair, we will be making an exception. Today, we start with The Intro...

Top: The cover featuring Kellan Lutz.

Center: Introductory 'Editor's Letter' by a supposed grandchild of Ezra Fitch.

Bottom: Clockwise, Hilary Rhoda w/"Sky", and "Nature" and "Grass".

While the Back-to-School 2004 campaign was labeled 'A&F Rising Stars', the premier A&F Magazine was subtitled "Sky. Nature. Grass."

"With the help of some frogs, owls, deer and, yes, even bears, we photographed A&F's fall line of clothing at the expansive farmlands of Hidden Valley in California. These grounds have served as the backdrop for many movies, making them an ideal place to showcase [...] the rising stars of tomorrow." – Excerpt from 'Editor's Letter' mock-signed by the supposed grandchild, Ezra Fitch

Considering that Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is steeped in romanticism and fantasy in juxtaposition of its authentic spirit, the mock-signature may well be just that...fantasy.


The Tales of Vintage special edition posts for A&F Magazine Fall 2004 will be broken down into three parts: The Intro (August 29), The Interludes (September 5-7; Parts I, II, and III), and The Profiles (September 12). I sincerely hope you enjoy this exceptional exploration of another classic Abercrombie & Fitch gem...

Stay FIERCE!

THE INTERLUDES (PART I: SKY) →

_____________________

THIS IS HAS BEEN THE THIRD IN TALES OF VINTAGE!,

A SERIES OF POSTS HIGHLIGHTING EXCEPTIONAL ABERCROMBIE & FITCH CO.

PIECES WITH PERSONAL STORIES FROM FANS ACROSS THE PLANET.

_____________________

Images and written content © C.E.R., The Sitch on Fitch. Original photography in A&F Magazine Fall 2004 by Bruce Weber for Abercrombie & Fitch.

Photo Exclusives! | Abercrombie & Fitch Fifth Avenue: A Photographic Pass-by...

Located on the corner of 5th Ave and West 56th Street is one of the greatest consumer attractions on New York City's world renowned Fifth Avenue. The ultimate mecca for FIERCE fans around the world, the Abercrombie & Fitch flagship store in Midtown Manhattan stands as the commanding, original A&F Flagship in the modern era of the American icon's 121 year history. Here, French photographer Charles Marion shows us snapshots of his passing-by during a trip to the Big Apple...

Click images to view larger!

Stay FIERCE!

The Sitch on Fitch thanks photographer Charles Marion for his contributions to THE HOTTEST BLOG. Photos in this post are by Charles Marion, for The Sitch on Fitch, and they may not be used/altered without permission by the author. ALL images © Charles Marion. Written content © C.E.R.

Letter from the Editor! | Forward to Time Classics-Past, Forward...

Actor Alexander Ludwig for A&F "Stars on the Rise".

Pillars of a unique essence, the classics of a heritage – one exemplar by a natural character inherent – stand in timeless code in uniform of authenticity and vigor. Champions against the toils of time, their vitality remain unwavering and transcendent virtuous of a spirit aspirational. History can attest to periods were dullness in culture occurs out of veering from the classics. So, too, it attests to reinvigoration in a renaissance, enlightenment, a rise to the stars by resurging cultural shine in return to ageless cues of past-classic...

This Back-to-School / Fall 2013 season, Abercrombie & Fitch progresses forth anew in a return of uplifting classic vivacity! I was beside myself with ethereal joy – something not felt about recent seasons for a very long time, mind you – upon laying eyes on the gorgeous brilliance of this new campaign. Immediately recognizable to my awestruck eyes was the reappearance of some of the many principle components of A&F classics: authentically all-new, naturalist photography; the capturing of raw, physical attractiveness in a duality of model-sensuality and clothing-appeal; the adorable inclusion of our animal friends; and the highlight of rising youth. Providing a flashy new sheen, the classics allure is back... Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!

More specific to what is the epitome of iconic classic about a Back-to-School (BTS) season at Abercrombie & Fitch is the theme of aspiring youths and a specific new approach to jeans. What can be considered the cornerstone of such tradition is Back-to-School 2004 – the launch of the Ezra Fitch higher-end clothing line featuring premium denim; a celebration of the young dreamers of the day; and a captivating splash of desire. Furthermore, such a Back-to-School served to revitalize an Abercrombie & Fitch after a decline in freshness. Six years later, the BTS 2010 “Screen Test” theme arrived, after the Great Recession, to rekindle with “the new generation of rising stars with a gleam of hope...” and a focus on jeans for the ultimate look. The years 2011 and 2012 continued on with the now-established 2010s custom of centralizing on jeans, but, although relatively fun, haven’t been on par in heart and cool-charm. More to a general point, after getting into a rut of redundant and wholly unoriginal (and uninspiring) imagery for many recent consecutive fashion seasons (I’ve been feeling there’s a reason why they long stopped posting the pictures on Facebook every new season like they used to, ahem, ahem), a monotony literally settled over, dragging on season by season, like a dull record on replay, totally uncharacteristic of the Abercrombie & Fitch we love. But that seems over now. To me, this all-new “Stars on the Rise” Back-to-School 2013 is the resplendent stimulate of classic A&F back in the spotlight! ...Beyond euphoric I am, indeed!

Meanwhile on The Sitch on Fitch, this Back-to-School 2013 is introducing a quantum leap in cool taking THE HOTTEST BLOG to the next level. Principally, there has been an unprecedented heightening of our visual graphics now modestly beginning to border simulated-3D augmentation for the first time. This has not only exponentially improved the quality of the site, but also created new groundwork on which to progress into the future. On another important note, I am pleased to announce that the globally-popular A&F Family pages by The Sitch on Fitch will finally return! Honestly, I have been bashed with numerous inquiries regarding the availability of the pages since their closing more than six months ago. Things happen, things change, and new ideas bring stuff back onto the drawing boards. This BTS 2013 season you will finally have them back and better than ever before. (See the right-side of the blog for dates). Also, THE HOTTEST BLOG will be expanding into a new social media platform...I won’t say much else until the official announcement soon; it is a new way of expressing our fanaticism and a very exciting new venture.

On a final high note, I would also like to announce the upcoming premier of an all new special edition series on The Sitch on Fitch...’Tales of Vintage!’ Nearly six months in the making, this will be an awesome series of weekly posts highlighting notable vintage pieces of clothing and other goods with their accompanying stories. Incidentally, back in late-May this summer, I received, by a good friend of mine, a now-collectible issue of A&F Magazine from that distinctive Back-to-School 2004. It is wholly incidental out of the fact that nine years later (and nine being my favorite number), the Back-to-School 2013 season resurges A&F with modern cool and elements nodding back to the original BTS 2004 “Rising Stars”...and me receiving this A&F Magazine while prep work for BTS 2013 was being finalized. Funny how fate works out for me all the time. Of course, I will be sharing this incredible collectible piece with you during this season among other things... ‘Tales of Vintage’ begins its FIERCE cool July 18 exclusive on THE HOTTEST BLOG!

Do make sure to check out what else awaits for you at abercrombie kids, Hollister, and Gilly Hicks, galore! ...This will definitely make for one beautifully memorable Back-to-School season.


We’re all gifted handsomely in our own unique way: dream in wondrous melodies, pursue your wholehearted ambitions, and never give up on the classics which make you iconic...

BABY, WHEN THEY

LOOK UP AT THE SKY,

WE’LL BE SHOOTING STARS

JUST PASSING BY...

“ N E O N   L I G H T S ” ,   D E M I   L O V A T O

As always, stay FIERCE!


C.E.R.
Editor-in-Chief
The Sitch on Fitch

Monday Meme of the Week! | June 17...

Our twist to Australian actor Elizabeth Debicki's memorable one-liner, as Jordan Baker, in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby (2013): "Oh, you MUST know Gatsby."

...Because, of course, you MUST know Abercrombie! Where else would you party this summer, after all, if not at Gatsby's. ;)

Stay FIERCE!

P.S. Born in August 1990 in Paris, the natural-blonde Aussie gal Debicki was only 20 years old when she was announced by Luhrmann, back in May 2011, as his choice for the fictional famous golfer Jordan Baker. How cool is that! Sporty, classy, and party-fun lovin', the character of Jordan Baker could well be said to be a Roaring Twenties kinda AF girl...

Abercrombie & Fitch and The Great Gatsby – Part One: Swingin' New York...

New York City, 1922, as brought to life in Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby (2013).
Image used for illustrative purposes only.  |  (image source)

NEW YORK, 1922.

THE BUILDINGS WERE HIGHER.

THE PARTIES WERE BIGGER...

THE RESTELESSNESS APROACHED HYSTERIA.

...So croons American actor Tobey Maguire as the narrator, character Nick Carraway, of Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann’s epic 3D extravaganza, The Great Gatsby. Based on the 1925 Great American Novel by author F. Scott Fitzgerald, the explosive tale takes place in the Summer of 1922 in the environs of New York City and its stoked denizens’ haunts...

The decade of the 1920s is memorably recalled as the extravagant “Roaring Twenties” and as the “Jazz Age” – a term coined by Fitzgerald himself. (In French, it was known as les années folles, “the crazy years”). Jazz, revolutionary music of vibrant African-American origins, was all the rage and sweeping the world, old sport! Being sexy and fun bloomed in unprecedented attitude, among the youthful, as social restraints loosened and the age “generation gap” became obviously pronounced for the first time in society – were you in your 20s and 30s in the 1920s, then your parents would have been youths of the Victorian era. “None of the Victorian mothers – and most of them were Victorian – had any idea how casually their [grown children] were accustomed to being kissed,” wrote Fitzgerald in This Side of Paradise (1920). The Roaring Twenties were the post-World War I period of avant-garde zest: unparalleled prosperity rising of primary economies around the world; New York City becoming the most populated city on the planet, overtaking London, and buildings going up to heights unlike never before; swingin’ cool music and dance, roaring cars, the flourishing of radio and film; sweeping prevalence of electric goods; the rise of “celebrities” (a fascination of Fitzgerald’s); and the flapper-chic girls and hot guys (“sheiks”) making ‘em peppy parties the bee’s knees! Good times...good ole times!

The incredible Roaring Twenties were to be the final period of the historic Ezra Fitch at the helm of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. By the Jazz Age, Abercrombie & Fitch was epic as arguably the world’s grandest sporting goods store. Situated inside its historic location on Madison Avenue, on the corner of Madison and East 47th Street, Abercrombie & Fitch, with its established reputation, had come to even outfit our great American President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt (who wasn’t in office by the ‘20s) for his African safari. (Many others of history’s great figures would pass as clients of A&F in subsequent years: Amelia Earhart, Earnest Shackleton, Roald Amundsen and Admiral Richard Byrd, and the "Duke of Wellington"). Every American President after Teddy, and up to Gerald Ford, is said to have been outfitted by A&F in some manner, and this would, thus, perhaps include President Harding who was incumbent in 1922 by the time-setting of Gatsby. Also memorably of the decade, New York had thrown a “most jubilant parade for Charles Lindbergh, the shy young pilot who, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, had seemingly nothing to do with his generation except allowing us to dream once more of our greatest possibilities.” Abercrombie & Fitch outfitted Lindberg for his historic transatlantic flight, from New York to Paris nonstop, which took off in the morning of 20 May 1927 and concluded famously the following day. It was under Ezra during the 1920s that Abercrombie & Fitch also historically introduced the Chinese game of Mahjong (麻將) in the United States, and becoming the center of the nation’s craze; it became the place in New York to “thumb one’s nose” at Prohibition laws in America (a national ban on the sale, production, and transportation of alcohol; though not illegal in private ownership and consumption of it) by buying a stylish flask; and it opened its first Summer-only location in Hyannis, Massachusetts, for yachting! Incidentally, as history would have it, Ezra retired from Abercrombie & Fitch in 1928 months before the onset of economic collapse, the Great Depression, and the end of the exuberant Jazz Age party that was New York and the world.

Take a look at New York City as it would have been like during the time of Ezra Fitch’s Abercrombie & Fitch and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (though you can see much more of it in awe-inspiring, epic 3D by going to the movies, and partying with Gatsby, with your friends!)...

“ NEW YORK CITY,

TAKE A BITE

AND SUBWAY DOWN TO

DANCE ALL NIGHT! ”

Stay peppy FIERCE, old sport!

Images in this post are low-res screenshots, of Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, used for illustrative purposes only. Images © Warner Bros. Written content © The Sitch on Fitch. Plagiarism prohibited.

Letter from the Editor! | The Greatest All-American Summer...

Leo in the title role of Jay Gatsby for Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby (2013).
Image used for illustrative purposes only.  |  (image source)

My FIERCE ladies and gentlemen! In full splendor of explosive gaiety and ostentatious thrills of fun, the Greatest All-American Summer has officially kicked off! For the first time since its 1925 publication, The Great Gatsby – a Great American Novel as the zeitgeist of the towering era of the Roaring Twenties – is now at the forefront of global excitement, this Summer 2013, with the release of filmmaker Baz Luhrmann’s groundbreaking film adaptation of the great work. All-American in spirit, author F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece tale, due to social, cultural, political, and economic circumstances, is relevant now more than ever before as the embodiment of its era in parallel to our own; and Luhrmann has brought to us the epic fairytale, into the 21st century, as a 3D anachronistic extravaganza of sublime vision and feel...too well bridging the cultural and emotional gap between the 1920s and today.

In honor of this exceptional and wholly historic occasion, The Sitch on Fitch is celebrating Abercrombie-style and all that jazz! This Summer 2013 is all about AberGatsby! on THE HOTTEST BLOG...parties, privilege, and all-American cool taking the planet by storm, old sport! Throughout the following period, you’ll enjoy exclusive pieces exploring the incredible world of the swingin’ Jazz Age and Abercrombie & Fitch in a way never before been conceived. I’d love to tell you more, but I’ll let you “oooh!” as the gems start rolling out. Though in risk of being cheesy, I’ll say this in use of cool ole 1920s slang: They sure are the bee’s knees! (And you’ll find that I took liberty in usage of other darb terms of Jazz Age vernacular). :D

Personally, you’ve no idea how stoked I am for this film adaptation. For many reasons, really: the anachronism, the sublimity of the director’s vision, the careless affluence, and the romanticism, aspirations, drama, and tragedy of it all. The parties themselves are a total whoopee of flapper-chic gals and ‘20s sheik fellas! ;) ("Sheiks" being what you called hot guys back in the day). Oh, and the actors: everyone’s favorite golden boy Leo DiCaprio (Jay Gatsby); Carey Mulligan (Daisy Buchanan, Jay’s love obsession); Tobey Maguire (Nick Carraway, Daisy’s cousin and narrator of the story), Joel Edgerton (Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s husband); Elizabeth Debicki (Jordan Baker, Daisy’s close friend), Isla Fisher (Myrtle Wilson, Tom’s extramarital affair), and Jason Clarke (George Wilson, Myrtle’s husband)...everyone incontrovertibly spiffy-perfect in role! However, I am most obsessed, principally of all, because I feel I emotionally relate to each main character – Jay, Daisy, Nick, Tom, Jordan... – strongly on some level. Or rather, it is almost as if each character is but a fraction of my entirety. Honestly, I find that The Great Gatsby is the most quotable source for me. It’s the idealized tale of the American Dream, of unbalanced privilege, of illusionary love, of restlessness, and, oh, of what can happen...and that time moves on in flair of indifference.

I first saw the premier trailer for the film back in late-May 2012. Was that hip-hop playing to 1920s privileged merriment?! :o Indeed, they were the seductively dark beats of “No Church in the Wild” by Jay-Z and Kanye West. And then came Jack White’s screeching cover of U2’s “Love is Blindness” totally capturing the raw romance and drama of the tale. Very lucky you can’t break the YouTube replay button: I was enraptured! I was a little disappointed when the film release was pushed back from its original Christmas Day 2012 date...and on to 10 May 2013. But it was a fleeting moment of letdown because a summer premier was, regardless, the perfect time. And so the Summer of Gatsby was to be!

My Gatsby fever was soaring by March as I began to keep up with every article and promotional material released. Florence + The Machine’s “Bedroom Hymns” became my tune of the moment from the second trailer: “This is his body...this is his love...And I can’t get enough...” Daisy rising from the sofa and peaking over her diamond-jeweled wrist... Tom riding on the eloquent-green grounds of his classically swanky Long Island, NY, mansion, swinging his polo club, and sending the ball high up in the clear blue sky... ”Gatsby? What Gatsby?” ...Just powerful. And then came the third trailer: purely beautiful, the main trailer, and my favorite over all. Oh, and TV spots with my heart fluttering every time I saw one. (Like this one)! The promotional singles releases, too, from the much-raved soundtrack: “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)" (Fergie feat. Q-Tip & GoonRock), “Over the Love” (Florence + The Machine), “Young & Beautiful” (Lana Del Rey), and “Into the Past” (Nero) were my favorites before the full album release on May 7. (I’ve taken a recent liking to the Beyoncé and André 3000 cover of Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black”). So charged, could my heart literally explode out of my chest? Everything leading up to today...everything has been a joy to discover and relisten...reread...rewatch... In the words of Carey Mulligan’s surely-to-be-iconic Daisy Buchanan, “These things excite me so!”

One thing that I must dutifully note is how scandalous this film adaptation has been in regards to literary and cultural purists. Jay-Z as music producer for a film all about the Jazz Age?! Hell yes. (More about this complicated topic in a later post). Australian Oscar-winner costume designer Catherine Martin collaborating with Italian designer Miuccia Prada for the films clothing pieces? Filming in Australia? And adding “insult” to “injury” to all purists, an Australian director with a knack for rebellious anachronism. The adaptation of the Great American Novel should have been a glorious all-American production with the music of the period? Such a purist movie would have been a box office bomb. The way things came to be for this 2013 adaptation of The Great Gatsby are beautifully fitting because they reflect the modern spirit of author Fitzgerald in the most authentically natural and all-American way for the 21st century...and you can’t get any more pure to the original source than that. An essence that transcends time...and it has finally been captured in film relevantly ingenious for the first time. It used to be said that The Great Gatsby was impossible to authentically capture in film. But the day came when a man named Baz Luhrmann saw, with his illustrious vision, the reality of the elusive authenticity of this transcendent essence. There is a furthermore incredible connection between the ages that you only could have gotten with the exceptional elements that came to be. As Fitzgerald’s literary classic became the zeitgeist of 1920s America, so is to be Luhrmann’s 3D film adaptation on the parallels of the 1920s and the now early-21st century, globally-integrated world. It’s all significant in a plethora of forms.

What’s also pretty cool? Never have the cultural connections between the United States and Australia ever been so profoundly at play. Last year, it was all about London as the center of England’s soul and all that was happening in 2012. But 2013 has become the year all about Australia. What’s happened so far? One of our most beloved TV personalities, Ellen DeGeneres, took a trip to Ozland for the first time in March; the sequel to Finding Nemo (2004; a movie she stars in), Finding Dory (2015), was incidentally announced by Pixar Studios after years of speculation; and the fantasy of Southern California, Hollister Co., finally arrived Down Under in late-April, mates! Now, one of Australia’s arguably best filmmakers has brought to life, in revolutionary zeal, The Great Gatsby – one grand, sweeping, cinematic Summer 2013 party all around the world. Ah, how I love me some Aussie Baz-jazz!

So in conclusion, I leave you off with this... Fantasy. The central sentiment of everything we live and breathe. The fantasy of an emotion...how this plays profoundly in our aspirations...and how it comes in hand with escapism; but how we must all keep in mind that, eventually, we must go home to reality. Or do we? It resonates in our dreams. It resonates in The Great Gatsby. It resonates in you whenever you walk into your favorite Abercrombie & Fitch Co. store. ...Different circumstances in different settings, but it’s the same ole thumpin’ tune every time in your heart...

“ A LITTLE PARTY

NEVER KILLED NOBODY.

SO WE’ GON’ DANCE UNTIL WE DROP! ”

Stay peppy FIERCE...
...and see you at Gatsby’s where I’ll be summering all season long! ;D



C.E.R.
Editor-in-Chief
The Sitch on Fitch

Fashionista Anna Dello Russo is All Designer Threads and Abercrombie & Fitch...

Looking stunning for the Dolce & Gabbana Spring-Summer 2012 show in Milano.
Image by, and used with permission from, Style Tao.  |  (image source)

She's quite the fun, delightful, darling celebrity of the fashion world... Anna Dello Russo generated quite the buzz last year when she shared, during a sit down with her friend Peter Dundas (creative director for the Italian Emilio Pucci label), that she wears Abercrombie & Fitch sportswear for exercise. The conversation including that tidbit was published in article form by the Financial Times and spread like wildfire across le monde de la mode. You can read The Sitch on Fitch post (here). But as it now turns out, Dello Russo actually shared her preference for Abercrombie & Fitch much earlier...

In a little Telegraph vid from October 2010, she previewed a small sample of her wares inside her suite at the Paris Ritz while in town for Paris Fashion Week. It is in this video where she comments, "When I'm not wearing- When I don't dress up, I am wearing Abercrombie." The girl goes all-American "casual luxury" in general, not just for yoga, when not donning thousand-dollar "dress up" clothes. Funny how it took an article from the Financial Times to stir fashionistas' curiosity after the revelation had already been made back in 2010 through the Telegraph vid...



Anyone who knows of Dello Russo – currently the creative consultant and editor-at-large for Vogue Japan – is aware of her lavish and explosively creative looks, tastes, and love with high-fashion, luxury pieces. Hence, the buzz about Dello Russo wearing anything other than high-fashion. However, anyone knowledgeable in the art of fashion and style should very well know that the mix-use of luxury pieces with casualwear is a contemporary classic. The now historic cover of American Vogue November 1988 – the premier Vogue issue of the iconic Anna Wintour as Editor-in-Chief – was unprecedented at the time and brought the high/casual mix to revolutionary spotlight. ...Fendi and Fitch? Now that's an idea!

WE LOVE DELLO RUSSO!

Stay FIERCE!

FIERCE EUPHORIA! Abercrombie & Fitch Hong Kong Flagship has Opened its Historic Doors...

Stoked fans crowd the opulent interior of A&F Hong Kong!  |  (image source)

Amid the bustle of Hong Kong, there interwove a charged atmosphere of heightened emotion for the arrival of a much anticipated, landmark event. Oft repeated has been the term "historic" as an adjective to the impending moment in time. And on August 11...that time arrived. In the presence of an overwhelming multitude of peoples, Abercrombie & Fitch proudly swung doors to its first ever flagship store in China as a monument to its future in the Middle Kingdom! Henceforth, a new chapter begins, of the globally iconic all-American force, on territory as aspirational as its glorious ambitions of greatness...

How fitting it is for it to have been Hong Kong as the privileged city with the honor of being the setting to this endeavor! Energized by the pulsing rhythm of 7 million souls, the "fragrant harbour," as is the literal meaning of its Chinese name 香港, is renown for its offerings of the finest for the seeker of the exemplary. Situated within the mind of the Chinese consumer as the ideal place to shop, given its international flair and high status, within the nation's market, Hong Kong also brings high assurance of authenticity and quality key to the consuming habits of the upscale Chinese shopper. May a brand find reputable success in Hong Kong, its performance in the mainland is highly probable. And considering that China is already highly influential, on a global scale,  within the fields of international luxury retailing, and projected to become the world's foremost consumer of luxury goods by 2015, the establishment of solid foundations, and the raising of awareness within the Chinese market, is of the utmost importance. Hong Kong is but the cornerstone to said foundations of A&F's aspirations.

Principle to Abercrombie's positioning in China was the acquisition of an iconic structure worthy of housing history! ...Ladies and gentlemen, the Pedder Building! Constructed by 1924 in the neo-Classical design of Palmer and Turner Architects, the significant Grade II structure stands amid the 21st century dynamism as a special piece of colonial Hong Kong. Abercrombie's triumphant win, in an intense bidding war against the Compaigne Financière Richemont's high-end Shanghai Tang Chinese-fashion retailer, made headlines by April 2011, in the industry and retail media, as a sign of the escalating commercial rents in Hong Kong. Much has been said of A&F's high agreed rent of HK$7 million (or about US$902,602) which was used as an example along with Burberry's $6.5 million (about US $836,600)... News of firms usurping other firms in agreements over rent has been a notable occurrence lately in Hong Kong; it is all for securing prime retail space in the dense Island of Hong Kong.

But the news was out that Abercrombie & Fitch was finally arriving in China via Hong Kong and fans couldn't have been more stoked! As typical in the face of an imminent A&F Flagship opening, the anticipation began building up to full force and work in the realization of this vision began. If anything other than abs, Abercrombie should be acknowledged for its exemplar renovating of historic and culturally noteworthy buildings as it implements the A&F Flagship prototype customized for the unique setting at hand. The FIERCE Abercrombie & Fitch ad, renown the world over for its usage as imagery announcing the coming of an A&F location, was already in place by January 2012. Mounted on the right-hand side of the Pedder Building, and magnificently illuminated by the fall of day, it was a stunning sight! Casting for the hottest models soon began...one of which was even recruited while clubbing at the Lan Kwai Fong area quite known for its nightlife!

At A&F Flagships around the world, epicenters of privileged youth and cool, the A&F team began selecting some of its hottest male models to fly in to help make history. In all, 110 sculpted boys of admirable flesh and face arrived by late-July/early-August...though not all of them flew in at once, mind you! "You do not want all of us in a pressurized container. Oh no!" exclaimed one of the guys, Trey. Accommodated at the five-star W Hong Kong hotel in Kowloon, the guys had the chance to hang out at the rooftop pool, at HK Disneyland, and everywhere in between! THE HOTTEST GUYS, in their bright-red shorts, were unleashed upon Hong Kong on August 2 and took the city by storm...the 10 days of 'A&F Hot Guys' had begun! Great crowds would formulate at the foot of the Pedder Building and sprawl all over the immediate area. Some were even given a preview look at what lay beyond the doors inside. Soon enough, a branded double-decker bus – named the "A&F Bus" – roamed throughout the city with its load of guys cheering and waving to the gawking crowds of people...many who were quick to pull out a camera and snag a photo of the sight before their eyes!

And as August 11 dawned upon Hong Kong, and as the last few hours seeped on by, people began lining up before the rise of morning's sun. For near of a mile stretched out the designated barriers for the epic line which continued to flow on down the streets of Central from the bottom steps of the Pedder Building. Hundreds upon hundreds of peoples – over 5,000! – of various ages, continuously formed queue in the light of being among the privileged first to ever pass through the stately doors and experience the enthralling A&F environment on Chinese soil...hoards of people's anticipation at the precipice of euphoria. 11:00AM (HKT) came, but, alas, there would be an unexpected eight more minutes of wait time... At 11:08AM – with a roar of cheer and applause and a storm of innumerable flashing cameras! – the great doors finally swung forth; and with FIERCE in the air, the ultimate party began at the place where cool and Casual Luxury go hand in hand!

Those very fortunate first 50 fans in line received, as a gift, a copy of the Hong Kong 2012 limited-edition A&F Quarterly. Featuring the sensual, timeless photography of the globally renowned photographer Bruce Weber, for Abercrombie & Fitch, the exclusive hardcover photo book of 500 copies was published in honor of the inauguration of A&F in China...a rare art photography collectible, and presenting Abercrombie's iconic imagery, solely for A&F Hong Kong. The remaining copies were made available to esteemed customers with a purchase of HK$5,000+ (US$647+ / EUR€524+ / GB£415+) of A&F goods...

For all its wonder and monumental significance, A&F Hong Kong stands as a piece of A&F History. Such an incredible opening has not been seen since the inauguration of A&F Ginza in Tokyo, Japan, back in December 2009! As monumental as the Ginza flagship was as the arrival of Abercrombie & Fitch in the Asian market...now the Hong Kong flagship introduces Abercrombie & Fitch to a rising global force!

August 11 was a beautiful day, indeed...



...And as always, stay FIERCE!

2012 Limited-Edition 'A&F Quarterly' to be Released in Honor of Abercrombie & Fitch in Hong Kong!

A highly anticipated affair, the upcoming opening of Abercrombie & Fitch in Hong Kong is set to become the hottest event of the year and a proud moment in the history of the 120 year-old Company! In honor of the historic milestone, the legendary A&F Quarterly publication will make a memorable return exclusively for the inauguration of A&F in China. The hardcover limited edition of 500 copies will comprise of some of the hottest models in the brand's marketing history through the work of the renowned photographer Bruce Weber for Abercrombie & Fitch – photography noted for its provocative, iconic sensuality often with the inclusion of nudity.

If you are oblivious to what the A&F Quarterly is, then take note: it was one of the most controversial publications in American pop culture during its original run as a "magalog" – a magazine and catalog hybrid – from 1997 through 2003. (The original issues are today auctioned for a high amount of money; namely on eBay). In 2008, the A&F Quarterly made a refined reappearance, inspired by a romanticism of paradise, in the form of a casebound with slip case limited edition of 500 copies exclusively sold within the A&F London flagship with a price GB£100. Its last appearance was the paperback issue themed 'Screen Test' for Back-to-School 2010, and it marked the first A&F Quarterly to be sold simultaneously worldwide across all A&F stores at the time with a price of US$10, CAD$14, JP¥1600, EUR€12, and GB£10. Ultimately, the A&F Quarterly represents the ideals, aspirations, and fantasy of Abercrombie & Fitch as captured through the lens of Bruce Weber.

And you will be setting up tent outside the doors of the Pedder Building when you read this... The first 50 people in line for grand opening – those who are 18 years of age or older – will receive their very own copy of the 2012 limited edition A&F Quarterly as a gift. [Everyone else around the world who can't make it to the event collectively stammers, "Damn!"] You think that's jaw-dropping? How about the fact that the rest of the 450 copies will only be handed out to those esteemed customers who spend HK$5,000+ (US$647+ / EUR€524+ / GB£415+) on A&F goods!!!

Exclusive, indeed!

Naturally, Abercrombie & Fitch will be flying into Hong Kong the hottest guys, carefully selected from its portfolio of flagship stores around the world, to pump things up beginning one week before the opening. A celebration to remember...let them eat beefcake!

Abercrombie & Fitch opens doors to its historic Hong Kong flagship store on Saturday, August 11, at 11:00 (Hong Kong Time). 店开业,8月11日, 11:00. 12 Pedder Street (畢打街), in the Central district (中環), on Hong Kong Island (香港島).

For mainland Chinese: can not access Facebook? Check out the official A&F Weibo (A&F 新浪微博) for Chinese fans (here)!

Stay FIERCE!

P.S. Get a sneak peak below at what's instore come August 11!...

UPDATE (11 AUGUST 2012): A&F HONG KONG NOW OPEN!!! READ: FIERCE EUPHORIA! ABERCROMBIE & FITCH HONG KONG FLAGSHIP HAS OPENED ITS HISTORIC DOORS...

The Abercrombie & Fitch Family Now Accepting PayPal In-Stores!

Announcement by Abercrombie & Fitch over it's PayPal debut!  |  (image source)

As of July 3, the PayPal payment system is now available at Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie kids, Hollister, and Gilly Hicks retail stores exclusively in the United States!

"PayPal’s offline solutions are much more than just a way to pay. We’re helping merchants connect with consumers at every stage in the shopping cycle. Before they come into the store, while they’re in the store, or even after they’ve left. We’re able to drive consumers through a retailer’s doors with relevant offers, coupons and discounts, then maintain a relationship with that consumer that keeps bringing them back to the retailer, in store or online." – David Marcus, president of PayPal ^[source]

Check out the PayPal site (here) to get to know PayPal and activate your account!

Stay FIERCE!

 

Abercrombie & Fitch in Hong Kong Opening August 11! History Will be Made...

Ladies and gentlemen, you are cordially invited to be a part of a momentous event in the history of Abercrombie & Fitch!

On Saturday, August 11, history will be made as Abercrombie & Fitch opens doors, at 11:00am, to its monumental Hong Kong flagship store housed within the iconic Pedder Building (畢打行) at 12 Pedder Street (畢打街) in the Central district (中環) on Hong Kong Island (香港島).

A groundbreaking milestone, A&F Hong Kong will introduce the globally renown all-American Abercrombie & Fitch brand into the awe-inspiring Chinese market. The significance is paramount, given that the upcoming flagship will represent the exclusive aspirational privilege of A&F to China: it will be critical in spreading awareness of the brand, and setting the appropriate image, across the ever more valuable and globally influential market. It will determine its success and future in the land... More than 90 years after Ezra Fitch personally set foot in the Middle Kingdom, Abercrombie & Fitch finally arrives in China in the 21st century to be a part of the nation's rising, energetic, and vibrant environment.

As a modern purveyor of youthful Casual Luxury, A&F is set to make its mark! Ever popular among its residents – and the thousands-upon-thousands who flock to it from the Mainland! – for its shopping, Hong Kong is a hotspot for the Chinese consumer voracious for internationally recognized, high-quality, authentic goods. Countless await for the historic grand opening! And of course, Abercrombie's representatives of chiseled looks – otherwise know as "the hottest [A&F] guys" – will be standing by keeping the FIERCE event ever more memorable for the attendee and all those paying close attention from around the world...

The countdown has officially BEGUN...

Stay FIERCE!

P.S. Just a quick little fact: the image of the male torso in the above image is originally from Summer 2008, and it bore a beach background. However, the Company has updated it, with the dark gray background, in the use of promoting A&F Hong Kong. Clean, sensual, and iconic...

UPDATE (11 AUGUST 2012): A&F HONG KONG NOW OPEN!!! READ: FIERCE EUPHORIA! ABERCROMBIE & FITCH HONG KONG FLAGSHIP HAS OPENED ITS HISTORIC DOORS...

UPDATE (9 July 2012): A limited-edition of the A&F Quarterly will be exclusively available for a select few customers of A&F Hong Kong on opening day! Read more on that (here)!


For mainland Chinese: can not access Facebook? Check out the official A&F Weibo (A&F 新浪微博) for Chinese fans (here)!