maplekoyo:
The cultish ideology that drives the engine of Abercrombie is not unlike the ideology that led Disney’s Little Mermaid, Ariel, after falling in love with the beautiful white prince, to give up her birth identity (even as a princess of the Mer-people) in exchange for her legs (and more importantly her vagina, not to put too fine a point on t hat matter), so that she can, in the words of her principle number in the movie-musical, be “part of that world” (the world of people). Abercrombie, through its strategy of marketing “the good white life” in what is already a deeply racist society, has convinced a U.S. public—whites (some young and some not so young), some people of color, and gay men—that if we buy their label, we are really buying membership into a privileged fraternity that has eluded us all for so long, even if for such vastly different reasons. In order for such a marketing strategy to work, in all of the diverse ways that this one clearly does, the consumer must necessarily bring to his or her understanding that A&F, and what association with the the brand offers him or her, a fundamentally racist belief that this lifestyle—this young, white, natural, all-American, upper-class lifestyle—being offered by the label is what we all are, aspire to be, or are hopelessly alienated from ever being.
As a POC person, im insulted that other POC think, POCs are shallow enough to believe that buying A & F, will allow them to pursue the lifestyle depicted by A & F ads. Second, why would they drag the little mermaid into it, when it’s COMPLETELY UNRELATED? I get the implied analogy but still…implied or not, A&F not only had (not sure if they still do) racist staff policies (as in negroes work in the back and are not to be seen in the front of the store. And have manufactured sexist t’s.
My ex boyfriend worked for them once as a teen. He was only permitted to work stock in the back. Years later a law suit came about and he was sent information to participate.
^^^^^^^^^ I worked for them too when I was like 18-19. There were 2 people of color working on “the floor.” Both were model-esque. Every other person of color/non-model worked stock or overnights. I was also invited to participate in the law suit. I never followed up though.
I wouldn’t call their ideology racist (although their hiring and operations policies clearly are), as much as capitalizing on the “sameness” of people. People of color are not allowed. People of size are not allowed. People over 25 are made to feel ridiculous for wanting to shop there there, because “old people” dont fit the demographic. Ive always hated everything that this company stands for: All individualism is shunned. Burn it down.
(Source: maplekoyo)
