The comeback story of A&F (Abercrombie & Fitch/Hollister)

Hello! Today I’m talking about A&F (the parent company of Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister).

A&F is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, in the United States (the Ohio where I lived for 14 years!). Its popularity has been rising again over the past few years.

 Netflix has a documentary called “White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch,” which features former CEO Mike Jeffries as a key figure.

Logo-heavy hoodies, sexualized “models,” and discriminatory marketing strategies—these measures backfired, and A&F’s popularity declined in the mid-2010s.

 Unable to attract new customer segments, the company was struggling. In 2014, Mike Jeffries finally stepped down as CEO, and Fran Horowitz took over.

The logos were removed, the loyalty program was revamped, the company shifted to an omnichannel approach, and it began listening to customers.

 And focusing on putting customers first paid off. Sales continue to rise in the U.S. and around the world.

 By focusing on standard products, the company stabilized market fluctuations, and Abercrombie has also gained support from higher-income customers.

 Meanwhile, Hollister remains an important mall-based brand for teens.

Abercrombie & Fitch is now mainly purchased online as a brand for young people.

It is maintaining strong performance, and customers seem to be responding positively to A&F’s changes.

What kind of developments will A&F show in the future?