Description

Main article: History of Abercrombie & Fitch
There have been three retailers called Abercrombie & Fitch, and the current A&F shares only its name with the original business. Founded in 1892 in Manhattan by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra H. Fitch, the real Abercrombie & Fitch was an elite outfitter of sporting and excursion goods, particularly noted for its expensive shotguns, fishing rods, and tents.[8] In 1976 Abercrombie & Fitch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, finally closing its flagship Manhattan store in 1977.
The name was revived shortly thereafter, when in 1978-79, Oshman's Sporting Goods, a Houston-based chain, bought the defunct firm's name and mailing list. Oshman's relaunched A&F as a mail-order retailer specializing in hunting wear and novelty items. It also opened shops in Beverly Hills, Dallas, and (by the mid-1980s) New York City. Finally, in 1988, Oshman's sold the company name and operations to The Limited, a clothing-chain operator based in Columbus, Ohio.[10]
The current version of A&F sells mostly clothes instead of pith helmets or elephant guns, and describes its retailing niche as an aspirational "Casual Luxury" lifestyle brand.[11]
Especially since 1997, the company has consistently kept a high-profile in the public eye - both positive and negative - due to its type of advertising (including its own film and magazines), its philanthropy, and its involvement in legal conflicts over branding, clothing style and employment practices.
[edit]Management and marketing