Makeup, Skincare, Fragrance and a Bit of Fashion

“The new way of selling clothes seems to be not wearing them.”
(quoted from The Daily Mail)

I took this photo when I stopped by the Abercrombie & Fitch store in London some time ago just so that you can literally see what I mean.

This is the very first Abercrombie & Fitch store in Europe, which opened in May this year, and it instantly became an attraction.

I have very mixed feelings about it. I do like the clothes. They fit me very well, and the fabrics seem reasonably good. But that’s about all that I feel positive about the store.

Bizarrely, the store does not have any sign or any display window. As I was approaching the front entrance for the first time, I wasn’t entirely sure if this was Abercrombie & Fitch. I was relatively certain that it was, judging by the two preppy “doormen”. (I knew the brand’s image and reputation, but still, why were they there?) But it looked like the store was having a private press event, with very loud music pumping out from inside.

I saw some customers coming out with the A&F bags. Then I decided to just head in anyway (and walked past the mannequin who apparently forgot his shirt).

Inside, it felt like a club. For a clothing store, the lighting was too dark and the music was almost unbearably loud. (One of my friends told me that, while in the shop, he felt like ordering a gin & tonic from the staff.)

The shop staff, both boys and girls, were probably the most attractive group of sales assistants I had ever seen. Later I found that their proper job title is “in-store models“. No wonder. They certainly look modely…

Everything is pricey. A short-sleeved T-shirt costs 30 pounds (about 60 USD). I liked it when I tried it on, but I am not going to pay this amount of money just on a T-shirt.

Also, the Abercrombie & Fitch store is located at the southern end of Savile Row, the heart of the finest British bespoke tailoring. This is where a couple of my all-time favorite shops are, and I perfectly understand why they don’t like a mass-market chain store next to them.

Abercrombie & Fitch has certainly made its first store in Europe a shopper’s destination, but I am not sure they did it in the right way.

I would like to go on a bit more, but each thing I have mentioned had been written in much greater detail. If you are interested, I have selected some very relevant articles for you to enjoy.

On their criticized hiring policies – from (UK’s) The Daily Mail (This is by far the most interesting article I have come across regrading the launch of Abercrombie & Fitch in the UK. If you are not going to browse through all the articles, do read this one to find out what it is like to work in Abercrombie & Fitch as an “in-store model”.

“The company told us it was an equal opportunity employer. Funny, because all its visible staff are young and beautiful.”

On the huge mark-up in the UK – from (UK’s) Evening Standard

“I was horrified that British teenagers are being expected to pay almost double the price of their American counterparts.”

On the impact of Savile Row – from Shopping Centers Today

“Exploiting the Savile Row name to attract high-paying retailers and businesses at the cost of this world-esteemed industry is shortsighted.”

Related Posts:

Zac Posen Spring & Summer 2008 Ready-to-Wear Collection
(one of my recent favorites)

The Marc Jacobs Boutique
(the first one in the UK)

The Jimmy Choo / Marks & Spencer Lawsuit
(What is your take on this?)

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