It’s only been a few weeks since Abercrombie and Fitch opened its 10th European flagship store in Dublin and despite the plummeting temperature outside it’s safe to say this store is heating up.
Known for its scantily clad dressed topless models at the door and “casual luxury” clothing, Abercrombie and Fitch is going down very well with Irish shoppers. Although the recession has got people watching every penny, it looks like people are willing to drop the cash and splash to have this logo on their jumper.
So what is it about Abercrombie that gets people so sucked in? Since going public at the end of 1996, A&F has kept a high public profile through its sexually-orientated marketing, which has often resulted in numerous lawsuits, however whatever they’re marketing is working. The models they use portray an idealist American athletic type with washboard abs you could grate cheese from. So obviously its working, young adults see these super humans and want to emulate them. It’s a pretty obvious marketing plan isn’t it?
So who is behind this so-called Abercrombie generation? Who’s pumping the cash into this multi-million dollar company? Many would have thought the fascination with Abercrombie would have faded out about 4 years ago, but evidently not. Even its brother store Hollister & Co in Dundrum Town Centre is packed with queues out the door every day. It seems the Irish just can’t get enough!!
Young children and adults are always under pressure to conform, just take the music they listen to Justin Bieber, The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus it’s like musical sheep, they follow the herd with what is popular. The same goes for what they wear, if it’s cool to wear Abercrombie and Fitch, you can bet their parents are getting moaned at all day long to get them some clothes from Abercrombie and Fitch, much to the delight of Abercrombie and Fitch executives.
Abercrombie is somewhat of a pop culture sensation, it symbolises the modern generation. The impact that media and marketing can have upon a nation, in just over a decade this brand has taken a global position on the world and has essentially been so profitable by playing on people’s vulnerabilities. People are known to feel the need to conform, to fit in, to be and look the best they can. Abercrombie and Fitch took these insecurities and used them to manipulate a nation.
They target young adolescents because as we all know, this is a time when all you want to do is fit in. And the way Abercrombie and Fitch sees it, you can all fit in by looking the same, by having a generation all walking around with large, obnoxious and unavoidable Abercrombie logos in your face.
TheCity.ie took to the streets of Dublin to ask them what they thought of Abercrombie and Fitch’s store opening up in Dublin.
by Caroline Ewins
Heres what Dublins saying about the new flagship store.
Video By Blaithin, Aidan, Caroline and Brendan.