When shopping in a mall, you knew you passed Abercrombie and Fitch just by its intense cedarwood scent and dim lighting. These were the stores’ trademarks, often accompanied by flocks of teenagers carrying bags adorned with the chiseled abs of male models. The 2000s marked Abercrombie & Fitch's prime, characterized by a curated aesthetic of preppy, “old money” clothing for teens. Yet, by the start of the 2010s, the brand began to decline in popularity for its slew of controversial practices. The main figures at the center of these controversies were L brand owner Les Wexner and former CEO Mike Jeffries. The former CEO had his infamous 2006 interview with Salon in which he candidly and outright claimed he caters to the “cool kids.” The interview sparked a storm of backlash after he said "We go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive, all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely."

These comments were immediately criticized and have only become more controversial in an industry that has since shifted towards inclusivity. The once-popular Abercrombie aesthetic became a symbol of whiteness, thinness, and exclusivity. Young consumers began seeking more inclusive, relatable, and trendier options. As preppiness fell out of favor, indie hipster trends from brands like Urban Outfitters and Free People gained traction. Eventually, even the hipster look waned, and consumers gravitated towards more accessible and affordable fast fashion alternatives like Shein and Fashion Nova.

Although Abercrombie & Fitch is no longer as lucrative as it once was, its former aesthetic has gradually returned in the trend cycle. For its Spring 2024 collection, Miu Miu showcased polo tees, micro khaki skirts, and even Sperry shoes, signaling a resurgence of A&F’s preppy styles.

These preppy trends have also hit retail stores, like Zara and H&M, yet there are certain stores that are reminiscent of the entire A&F aesthetic like Brandy Melville.

Walking into a Brandy Melville store today, you’ll find basic white tees, baggy jeans, and baby tees tailored to current teen desires, yet the old Abercrombie DNA is evident in its neutral color palette, American flag motifs, and coastal city references . Even the Ivy League flags hanging from the ceilings echo Wexner and Jeffries' vision of an aspirational customer who is thin, athletlc, and college- educated.

Despite its success, Brandy Melville has faced its share of controversies, most notably for its one-size clothing policy and the alarming behavior of its founders, as highlighted in the HBO documentary Brandy Hellville & The Cult of Fast Fashion (2024) Like A&F, Brandy Melville is notorious for its lack of size inclusivity as seen with their one-size clothing. While Jeffries was more outright in his discrimination, Brandy Melville has never responded to the pushback it received and still continues to only produce one size of all its styles. All the controversies surrounding Brandy Melville haven't deterred a new generation of girls from flocking to its stores.

During a recent visit to its Soho flagship, I felt claustrophobic among the piles of clothes and noticed that most shoppers were 10 to 13-year-old girls accompanied by their mothers. On TikTok, girls proudly display their Brandy Melville collections, eager to embody the latest aesthetic trends, whether "coastal grandmother," preppy, "vanilla girls," or "clean girls."

All these styles share core characteristics reminiscent of Abercrombie: thin, preppy, and Americana. Maybe these girls are too younng to remember to know about Brandy’s controversies from the mid 2010s, but they continue to purchase clothing in hopes of fitting into whichever aesthetic is most popular at the time.

The resurgence of this aesthetic, both on runways and in retail, highlights a troubling trend of exclusion and the glorification of the “old money” look, often rooted in generations of racist institutions. Despite the industry's move towards inclusivity, Brandy Melville’s enduring popularity suggests that consumers quickly forget or ignore ethical concerns when shopping. As the clean, preppy, coastal aesthetic rises, exclusion persists in new, disguised forms, but at the core of Abercrombie and Brandy Melville's style is exclusion.

Article by Lucy Moraleda, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Bradley Duley, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine

Abercrombie & Fitch Reincarnated