ABERCROMBIE & FITCH will start selling clothing in plus sizes for the first time in a bid to attract new customers, following another dip in sales. The company currently doesn't carry sizes above large, as part of its famously "exclusionary" ethos.
"In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids," said CEO Mike Jeffries in 2006. "Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely."
The American label is expanding its women's tops collection, to offer a broader range of sizes and colours, and is also planning to launch a shoe category. Company shares have lost an estimated 30 per cent of their value this year, as young shoppers turn to more trend-driven brands, Reuters reports.
The move comes following news that Gilly Hicks - the Australian underwear label owned by Abercrombie - is closing its UK stores, after disappointing sales.
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