Abercrombie

[+ friendofsheila]

I got a look at a recent A&F shopping bag (I haven't seen one in a couple of years). It's got the usual pretty boy, but it's not even the tiniest bit nudey.

 

Is the era of the A&F shaved white butt over? Has it been over for a while?

[+ 7829V]

[kingsley88]

I remember watching the video below several years back and thereafter I cleaned out my closet of all my A&F clothes and donated them to the homeless.

[maninsoma]

I used to enjoy seeing their oversized posters in the store windows, taunting me with ripped young flesh. I think I only went in the store once (with a friend who wanted to go) because I knew their clothes weren't for me. I wasn't plus sized then like I am now, but even then I knew that their brand was made for people built differently than me. Some clothing brands are just cut for extremely lean bodies; if you don't have a body like that, you either need to buy a size larger than you'd need for some areas of your body in order to accommodate the bit of fat you have in your midsection or just buy other brands designed with your body type in mind.

 

I have less a problem with A&F marketing itself to the athletically built than I do with their racism. Does anyone remember the scandal when it was revealed that the stores would put white people on the sales floor but people of color either worked in the stockroom or weren't hired at all? Or their t-shirts that used stereotypical, insulting images of Asians? Yes, their models were cute but they were also almost always white. The racism behind A&F was very obvious.

Edited March 31, 2021 by maninsoma

[+ Pensant]

A loathesome brand. I’ve always been lean enough to wear their jeans, but was always put off by the pretension.

[KrisParr]

Agree completely, however their colognes were very nice. Often gave them to escorts as welcoming gifts. And chocolate.

[+ tassojunior]

Bruce Weber is as important to gay photography as anyone. He made homoeroticism mainstream. His A&F catalogs are collectible. For a while any gay man had to have a Bruce Weber book on his coffee table. What all the male nudity had to do with selling clothes in a clothing catalog was weird but A&F Quarterlies, advertising and even shopping bags put homoerotica out there .

 

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/222/2031/1600/Justin%20Lazard%20Actor%20NYC%201986.0.jpg

Edited March 31, 2021 by tassojunior

[+ tassojunior]

although, in fairness, there is this one A&F photo of a guy with A&F underwear:

 

[MscleLovr]

I used to enjoy seeing their oversized posters in the store

 

I used to admire their bare-chested male greeters outside the store.

 

I marveled at their hubris in opening a store on Savile Row in London, and I was astounded by the homoerotic decoration inside the store. What surprised me was that the young Englishmen acting as greeters there were even better looking, more ripped and muscled than their counterparts at the Fifth Avenue store in NYC.

 

I didn’t rate their clothes (too rough cotton) although, to be fair, their underwear was very well-made. But the main reason that I remain fond of the brand is that I got to play (separately) with 2 of their cover models

[kingsley88]

I didn’t rate their clothes (too rough cotton) although, to be fair, their underwear was very well-made. But the main reason that I remain fond of the brand is that I got to play (separately) with 2 of their cover models

 

Rafael Alencar did so too a few years ago!

[orville]

During the 90s and 2000s brands that welcomed diversity could be considered edgy and progressive.

Now I'm feeling a shift in the sense that brands still want to be perceived as diverse, but not sexual or gay.

 

This might even come more reinforced by the fact that GenZers and Centennials (current teens) are sexually repressed.

So, anything that is suggestive or sexual (outside of a screen) is not cool and should not be looked up to or glorified.

PC has also been embedded into their lives, as automatic behaviour and is transforming societal norms, I think in a bad way.

 

Yesterday I overheard a lesbian couple in the supermarket. One of the girls was unsure about which product pick from the shelf.

They spent close to 4 mins in front of the shelf and finally one told the other: "I support your decision to pick either". ?‍♂️

I was so disgusted that I had to leave the aisle immediately to then go back when they were gone. They spent more time trying to decide.

 

With that kind of new mindset, I have no idea what is appealing to teens now, but probably it won't be A&F's 90s concept.

Edited March 31, 2021 by orville

[The_Impeccable_G]

I used to admire their bare-chested male greeters outside the store.

 

I marveled at their hubris in opening a store on Savile Row in London, and I was astounded by the homoerotic decoration inside the store. What surprised me was that the young Englishmen acting as greeters there were even better looking, more ripped and muscled than their counterparts at the Fifth Avenue store in NYC.

 

I didn’t rate their clothes (too rough cotton) although, to be fair, their underwear was very well-made. But the main reason that I remain fond of the brand is that I got to play (separately) with 2 of their cover models

Font memories from that store. Specially one of the assistants.

[kingsley88]

I have less a problem with A&F marketing itself to the athletically built than I do with their racism. Does anyone remember the scandal when it was revealed that the stores would put white people on the sales floor but people of color either worked in the stockroom or weren't hired at all? Or their t-shirts that used stereotypical, insulting images of Asians? Yes, their models were cute but they were also almost always white. The racism behind A&F was very obvious.

 

Just found this old thread from 2004:

https://www.companyofmen.org/threads/abacrombie-and-fitch-will-they-never-learn.40706/

 

This forum really has a treasure of information. Last post on that thread was written by Daddy stating how he just went on a cruise with Hooboy.

[+ Charlie]

Just found this old thread from 2004:

https://www.companyofmen.org/threads/abacrombie-and-fitch-will-they-never-learn.40706/

 

This forum really has a treasure of information. Last post on that thread was written by Daddy stating how he just went on a cruise with Hooboy.

I think you misunderstood Daddy's post, but reading through this old thread was certainly a trip down memory lane. I think the only posters from it who are still here are Oliver and Ben, most of the others either left or were ejected years ago. Anyone who thinks this was a kinder, gentler place years ago needs to read this.

[The_Impeccable_G]

I used to enjoy seeing their oversized posters in the store windows, taunting me with ripped young flesh. I think I only went in the store once (with a friend who wanted to go) because I knew their clothes weren't for me. I wasn't plus sized then like I am now, but even then I knew that their brand was made for people built differently than me. Some clothing brands are just cut for extremely lean bodies; if you don't have a body like that, you either need to buy a size larger than you'd need for some areas of your body in order to accommodate the bit of fat you have in your midsection or just buy other brands designed with your body type in mind.

 

I have less a problem with A&F marketing itself to the athletically built than I do with their racism. Does anyone remember the scandal when it was revealed that the stores would put white people on the sales floor but people of color either worked in the stockroom or weren't hired at all? Or their t-shirts that used stereotypical, insulting images of Asians? Yes, their models were cute but they were also almost always white. The racism behind A&F was very obvious.

I am sure they did their market research and that was what their customers wanted. Let's stop bringing race to everything.

[marylander1940]

I am sure they did their market research and that was what their customers wanted. Let's stop bringing race to everything.

 

What about seism and weightism?

 

This thread by @friendofsheila is about that!

[The_Impeccable_G]

What about seism and weightism?

 

This thread by @friendofsheila is about that!

I think they made a business decision to address that specific market segment of the young and fit. By the way the opening post is about white butts ?

[Guest]

Rafael Alencar did so too a few years ago!

Great escort, but a FEW years ago? He's a total stud, but he's got to be in his late 30s by now. Not the usual demographic of their models.

[kingsley88]

Great escort, but a FEW years ago? He's a total stud, but he's got to be in his late 30s by now. Not the usual demographic of their models.

 

lol whenever this video was filmed.

https://www.gayforit.eu/video/554750/Fucking-an-Abercrombie-Model-Bareback

[+ tassojunior]

When Abercrombie started homoerotic advertising in the '90's America was in the middle of the AIDS epidemic and homophobia was widespread. Extremely widespread. Jesse Helms/God's wrath on perverts widespread. Granted A&F wanted a "scandal" for publicity, but still all this dramatic and beautiful gay photography making men into sex objects for other men came at just the right time for gays to get a breather from the doom-and-gloom and despair.

 

Racially, it's cart and horse. Preppy clothes were not on any Black man's shopping list and the only Blacks in an Abercrombie store would be their employees and models. Also, if a gay white man had started photographing young Black males sexually back then not all Blacks would have considered it a compliment by a long shot. Weber used Black models in A&F ads but was careful to not make them mainly homoerotic sex objects. Maybe Weber was racially prejudiced, maybe A&F was, IDK. But for it's time the A&F quarterlies and ads were a major achievement for gays that is getting swept up in today's cancel culture.

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CJqstQ7FefM/T3OEowuwElI/AAAAAAAAAgU/oUc2eRHeFrA/s1600/AandFAd.JPG

Edited April 4, 2021 by tassojunior

[lonely_john]

I am sure they did their market research and that was what their customers wanted. Let's stop bringing race to everything.

There was a big scandal about that. If you look at the home page of their website, well ... things have changed. Otherwise, no profit, that simple.

Edited April 1, 2021 by lonely_john

[lonely_john]

he's got to be in his late 30s by now.

I think Rafael Alencar is past 40 for sure.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Anyone who thinks this was a kinder, gentler place years ago needs to read this.

 

Bingo. This place is tame now compared to the early 2000s.

 

 

As for A&F, their downfall was years back and the only reason their store remains open is that they're still huge in Asia and Mexico.

 

Bruce Weber is persona non-grata now thanks to the multiple sexual predator allegations against him back in 2018.

[rvwnsd]

Great escort, but a FEW years ago? He's a total stud, but he's got to be in his late 30s by now. Not the usual demographic of their models.

I think Rafael Alencar is past 40 for sure.

According to his profile on dudesnude he is 42. I've followed him there since 2008 and 42 sounds about right.

[The_Impeccable_G]

There was a big scandal about that. If you look at the home page of their website, well ... things have changed. Otherwise, no profit, that simple.

So they changed their marketing. And next year they will change again. My point is that what they do is driven by their business decisions, not by racism or body shaming.

Edited April 1, 2021 by The_Impeccable_G