Just in Time for Summer
Bill McGurn ·
Mar 25, 2011 at 11:54am
Just what she needs, courtesy of Abercrombie & Fitch:
Abercrombie & Fitch's preppy style has made it a favourite with teens and tweens.
But the fashion chain was the subject of outrage today after it released a range of bikinis for eight to 14-year-olds with padded cups.
The Abercrombie Kids 'Ashley push-up triangle' top, which retails for $24.50, features thick padding in the cup to give the illusion of a larger chest size.
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Comments :
Jul '10
Re: Just in Time for Summer
I blame Barbie.
Nov '10
Re: Just in Time for Summer
Let's see. This is the store that produced the "Two Wongs Can Make it White" t-shirt, numerous other offensive or sexually explicit T-shirts, thong underwear for little girls with suggestive slogans such as "eye candy" and "wink, wink", and the Christmas "clothing" catalogue full of nude models in sexually suggestive poses. They also have been accused of putting only white employees in customer service positions and were successfully sued in Britain for making an employee with a congenital limb difference work out of sight of customers.
Somehow, I don't think they really care whether we think this bathing suit is a bad idea. I also think I can resist the temptation to patronize any of their stores.
Edited on Mar 25, 2011 at 12:20pmJun '10
Re: Just in Time for Summer
Please tell me this is a joke.
Surely we have not degenerated so far as to pad 8 year olds bikini tops. Where is Daniel Moynihan when you need him?
May '10
Re: Just in Time for Summer
AUMom: Please tell me this is a joke.
Surely we have not degenerated so far as to pad 8 year olds bikini tops. Where is Daniel Moynihan when you need him? · Mar 25 at 12:28pm
Nope.
Nov '10
Re: Just in Time for Summer
Again, this is the same company that used to sell thong underwear in the stores that sold clothing for kids age 7 to 14.
Aug '10
Re: Just in Time for Summer
Funny you should mention that. The WSJ had this article today.
As the father of a 14 year old, waging war against the culture is a tough fight.
Snooki and the Kardashians are seen as bonafide celebrities. The fact that their celebrity is actually disrepute doesn't make it through the various filters.
May '10
Re: Just in Time for Summer
A&F hasn't been preppy for at least 15 years. It is the one retailer more than any other that inappropriately promotes sexuality to tweens. This story is no surprise at all.
Mar '11
Re: Just in Time for Summer
What kind of parent buys this stuff for their children? The answer I would think is next to none.
This place is going out of business right? Being universally boycotted?
Aug '10
Re: Just in Time for Summer
My tweenie girls love A&F, and the stuff they wear is entirely harmless.(Hollister is a near enough second.)This is just a publicity stunt to get people talking about Abercrombie. And guess what....?
Jul '10
Re: Just in Time for Summer
Most of you are too young to recall that Abercrombie & Fitch, founded in 1892, was originally a camping and fishing supply store, much revered by East Coast bluebloods. It counted among its devotees Teddy Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway, Amelia Earhart, John F Kennedy and the Arctic explorer Ernest Shackleton.
I actually shopped in the Manhattan store a few times; there were rows upon rows of glass display cases full of beautifully-crafted wares, attended to by middle-aged men in blazers and bow ties. It was wonderful; like stepping into an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel.
The real Abercrombie & Fitch went out of business in the late 1970's and the brand was purchased by Limited Stores.
One despairs at the thought of Teddy Roosevelt striding into today's A&F and stumbling upon a display of padded pedophile-friendly swimwear.
Alas.
Aug '10
Re: Just in Time for Summer
I bought some stuff in the store in the South Street Seaport in the '80s. I recall a fairly sedate store with decent clothes and good value. But it wasn't a "destination",just another shop. So something is working for them.
May '10
Re: Just in Time for Summer
The A&F catalogue was a soft porn production at best, with significant homoerotic conventions. Now it appears we continue down the path of sexualisation of childhood with the permissiveness of advertising and commerce.
A&F is best managed by laughing at their pretentious over-priced schmatte, and walking on past their goods. (-"Naked Fly Fishing who does that?")
Warning includes mild Sex references :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaendBOenFg