Abercrombie & Fitch is coming under fire for its exclusionary tactics regarding women’s apparel this morning. According to ABC News, the retail chain doesn’t sell clothes beyond a size 10—unlike many of its competitors that go up to sizes 16 and 18.
If you think it’s a mistake on the corporate level, think again. A&F purposely leaves out a grand segment of the population—to create a new definition of “cool.”
A total of 67% of American shoppers are plus size. But that doesn’t matter to A&F CEO Mike Jefferies, who flat out says he doesn’t make clothes for plus size folks. In a 2006 interview with Salon magazine, Jefferies said, “We go after the attractive all-American kid. A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes]. And they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.”
Despite the struggling economy, many retail chains continue to offer clothing sizes that do not cater to curvy women. Within the Black community, curvaceous women who like to be fashionable at work and home often voice their concerns with the difficulties they face when shopping. From a shortage of sizes to a boring selection, it’s no secret that buying clothes is a challenge for Black women who fall under “plus sizes” and their lists of complaints continue to grow.
Do you find it hard to keep your wardrobe current and embrace your curves?
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