Abercrombie and ex-CEO sued over sex trafficking accusations

[boafriend]

On 5/5/2025 at 8:17 AM, caliguy said:

I really miss the old Abercrombie. Hot naked guys on nearly every wall playing grab ass. Then there was the soft porn catalogs. 

Now you walk into their stores it's been completely sterilized and looks like every other store now. Well, except for the strong scent of cologne. 

A hot take I agree with. BUT I think the CEO's shenanigans put the kibosh down on any sex-selling. The current CEO had to steer far, far away from that old image. I also think Gen Z would've dragged the shit outta A&F had they still gone the soft gay porn route.

[Lotus-eater]

On 5/5/2025 at 8:17 AM, caliguy said:

I really miss the old Abercrombie.

So do I:

 

Edited May 10, 2025 by Lotus-eater

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

3 hours ago, boafriend said:

A hot take I agree with. BUT I think the CEO's shenanigans put the kibosh down on any sex-selling. The current CEO had to steer far, far away from that old image. I also think Gen Z would've dragged the shit outta A&F had they still gone the soft gay porn route.

The whole team responsible for the 'look' of A&F in their heyday was corrupt.

Bruce Weber, the famed photographer behind the homoerotic A&F Quarterly, had over 20 male models file suit against him for sexual misconduct.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/13/style/mario-testino-bruce-weber-harassment.html

He ended up paying to settle the suits.

[+ Jamie21]

8 hours ago, BenjaminNicholas said:

The whole team responsible for the 'look' of A&F in their heyday was corrupt.

Bruce Weber, the famed photographer behind the homoerotic A&F Quarterly, had over 20 male models file suit against him for sexual misconduct.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/13/style/mario-testino-bruce-weber-harassment.html

He ended up paying to settle the suits.

It reminds me of the Nazis. Sharp uniforms and a really focused propaganda campaign: great visuals. And totally morally corrupt and reprehensible just beneath the surface. 

[+ Pensant]

On 5/5/2025 at 10:17 AM, caliguy said:

I really miss the old Abercrombie. Hot naked guys on nearly every wall playing grab ass. Then there was the soft porn catalogs. 

Now you walk into their stores it's been completely sterilized and looks like every other store now. Well, except for the strong scent of cologne. 

Those catalogues in the ‘90s? Whew! It was a genius rebrand from an old blue blood outfitting retailer (TR was a famous customer).

[Lotus-eater]

9 hours ago, Jamie21 said:

It reminds me of the Nazis. Sharp uniforms and a really focused propaganda campaign: great visuals. And totally morally corrupt and reprehensible just beneath the surface. 

Don't know if I buy the argument, but Andrew Sullivan claimed that the fashion ad aesthetic in the late 80s took a turn towards fascism (and cited Bruce Weber as an example):

Flogging Underwear: How Fascism and Fornication Came to Madison...

WWW.BIBLIO.COM

---

Find the best prices on Flogging Underwear: How Fascism and Fornication Came to Madison Avenue [in] The New...

 

[pubic_assistance]

19 hours ago, Lotus-eater said:

the fashion ad aesthetic in the late 80s took a turn towards fascism

Everyone's favorite toss-around term for things they don't agree with..."fascism".

I wonder what broad stroke definition Sullivan was using in this article 🤔.

There has always been a dynamic between powerful people and young attractive men and women who use their beauty to get ahead in the world. I've worked at Calvin Klein and witnessed this dance on daily basis. There was a lot of tail wagging and ass sniffing (so to speak) and I had the impression everyone knew the game. Even with myself..I was hired to a position I really had no business having at such a young age..but for the fact the head of the department's eyes popped out of his head when he first met me. Oggled me, fawned over me and made plenty of innuendo about "helping me get ahead". In the end I never did sleep with him, but I certainly understood that I might have to, in exchange for the opportunity.  In my opinion, had I actually done so...I would NOT be of the opinion today that I had been so coerced into sex with this man that I would subsequently be seeking restitution for sexual misconduct. I would merely be chalking it up to one of many life's twists and turns that a young person must engage in his way up the ladder. I think most of these cases are nonsense and wholly opportunistic. Everyone knew that Bruce Weber used his fame to get laid, back in the day. I dont recall anyone at that time claiming he was "raping" his models. The industry was so sexually charged when I worked in and around the fashion world (90s) that everyone was fucking someone on a daily basis. It would be more shocking to discover that Bruce hadn't sampled the goods.

Edited May 12, 2025 by pubic_assistance
spelling

[Peter Eater]

On 5/4/2025 at 7:29 PM, Luv2play said:

She didn’t go on to fame or fortune as much as her contemporaries like Shirley Temple, Andy Rooney and Judy Garland did

Andy Rooney was such a babe. 😋

[Peter Eater]

Not really surprising to see reactionary defenses for sex abuse, happens all the time, but pretending that fascism is just an empty word is one reason fascism has taken hold lately. Power is intoxicating.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

2 hours ago, Peter Eater said:

Andy Rooney was such a babe. 😋

I really hope he meant MICKEY Rooney.

[robberbaron4u]

On 10/28/2023 at 6:06 PM, azdr0710 said:

For those who follow this kind of stuff, all this A and F execs sex party stuff has been common knowledge for many years. 

And there you have it...

[Nue2thegame]

On 5/23/2025 at 11:45 AM, BenjaminNicholas said:

I really hope he meant MICKEY Rooney.

Babe isn’t the first label that comes to mind for either one. 

[jeezifonly]

Whenever the major ad campaign of a large brand relies on sex, it's fair to assume that the majority of the models have been rigorously field tested by the client, the advertising executives, the modeling agents and the photographers. 

The assumption is fair, the practice is not. I hope these guys who have been subject to abuse (especially those under age) find justice. 

[BigDMike]

I have been coveting those A&F catalogs they produced forever.  I have ever single one thinking some day they'll be worth something 

Edited May 25 by BigDMike

[ACluelessGent]

I fondly remember the London shop, sinking into an armchair with a whisky in hand, surrounded by the semi nude shop assistants-models.

[+ sniper]

On 5/12/2025 at 9:41 AM, pubic_assistance said:

Everyone's favorite toss-around term for things they don't agree with..."fascism".

I wonder what broad stroke definition Sullivan was using in this article 🤔.

There has always been a dynamic between powerful people and young attractive men and women who use their beauty to get ahead in the world. I've worked at Calvin Klein and witnessed this dance on daily basis. There was a lot of tail wagging and ass sniffing (so to speak) and I had the impression everyone knew the game. Even with myself..I was hired to a position I really had no business having at such a young age..but for the fact the head of the department's eyes popped out of his head when he first met me. Oggled me, fawned over me and made plenty of innuendo about "helping me get ahead". In the end I never did sleep with him, but I certainly understood that I might have to, in exchange for the opportunity.  In my opinion, had I actually done so...I would NOT be of the opinion today that I had been so coerced into sex with this man that I would subsequently be seeking restitution for sexual misconduct. I would merely be chalking it up to one of many life's twists and turns that a young person must engage in his way up the ladder. I think most of these cases are nonsense and wholly opportunistic. Everyone knew that Bruce Weber used his fame to get laid, back in the day. I dont recall anyone at that time claiming he was "raping" his models. The industry was so sexually charged when I worked in and around the fashion world (90s) that everyone was fucking someone on a daily basis. It would be more shocking to discover that Bruce hadn't sampled the goods.

For the most part I agree with you, but that whole picking up a 15 year old "muse" at a wrestling camp seems sketchy as hell.

But yeah, there's a difference between an adult making the conscious decision to use sex to get ahead in an environment where the product is sexuality, and, say, an accounting clerk getting felt up in the office.

[+ nycman]

2 hours ago, sniper said:

But yeah, there's a difference between an adult making the conscious decision to use sex to get ahead in an environment where the product is sexuality, and, say, an accounting clerk getting felt up in the office.

Not if he/she is being “felt up” willingly in order to get a head.

In that case, the game is essentially the same.

However in today’s world, if you’re the one doing the “feeling”, you’re a fucking moron.

Promote the ugly girl, and hire a hooker.

[marylander1940]

13 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

Then maybe you should think that one through, because it's a bit obsessive. 

I was "raped" twice in my life. So you'd think I would be more sympathetic to victims, but like with everything I am not quick to assume that allegations are the same as truth.

Wow

Yes, you've told us the 2 stories many times and we believe you. Why can't you believe others is beyond me.

Obviously if the accused is powerful, he must be innocent or that's how some on here see the world. 

Edited May 30 by marylander1940

[+ PhileasFogg]

17 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

Right. You didn't 

A 40 yr old man and a 14 year old boy is not right and doesn’t need statutory definition to make it wrong

[mike carey]

Gentlemen, this thread was recently revived after a full year of dormancy with a post that was off topic but sought to comment on the tone of earlier posts here.

The moderators have reviewed comments since then, noting that although some continued to address the topic, many pursued tangents relating to sex and the advertising industry unrelated to the case at hand. We've hidden a number of them, and are considering what if any further action needs to be taken.