Abercrombie & Fitch's soft-core porn catalog is coming back
Filed under: Stores We Love
Remember back in 2003 when all you had to do to get your spouse in the mood was leave your Abercrombie & Fitch catalog lying around? In theory, the quarterly publication was supposed to feature the company's clothing line -- though you wouldn't have guessed that from all the photos of sexy 20-somethings, who (for the most part) weren't wearing any clothes at all. Abercrombie's chief executive claimed the reason A&F Quarterly was pulled was that he was "bored" with it. I suspect it had more to do with all the pressure he was under from religious organizations and women's rights groups.
However, the catalog is on its way back, but this time you'll only be able to find it in London, where the company hopes customers will be more open-minded than their US counterparts.
So Londoners, if you're into checking out a little soft-core porn while you shop for relatively bland clothing, you're in luck!
DINA 1-07-2008 @ 8:13PM
the Catalog was boring and unecessary. How can you sell a shirt when the model (female) isn't even wearing one? Oh wait, I take that back....
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JW 1-07-2008 @ 8:29PM
A&F Keep your filth to yourselves. It's getting bad when a clothing company goes to this extreme to sell their wares.
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princess poon 1-07-2008 @ 10:08PM
Filth? What planet are you on? Why is it relevant? Designers dont sell clothes, per se--they sell a feeling, a lifestyle, and a concept. The A&F catalogue was a beautifully-shot highly stylized collection of beautiful ideas and concepts.
This catalogue is on par with everything coming out of Europe. To call it FILTH is to call the Venus de Milo a slut for having no clothes on. Grow up.
f.t.davidsson 1-07-2008 @ 8:38PM
so much for freedom of speech. this country is so damn uptight it's sickening.
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NCWolfBoy70 1-07-2008 @ 9:53PM
I agree with f.t davidson. Americans are truely loosing our "freedom of speach" slowly but surely, due to the far right wing, "religious fanatics." I thought this country was originally founded on freedom of religion & speach but obviously only if it does not offend the rich, upperclass, or church goers. Gee, sounds hippocritical to me. Why don't they call ebonics, Redneckese, or Good óle fashion Southern hick, illegal? Fair is fair. Am I wrong?
tom dee 1-07-2008 @ 8:41PM
It's been years since I looked at or in anything A&F. I remember, though, that the models were so skinny it was a turn off. Also, their stores locally had that big black and white photo of what looked like skinny 15 year olds ready for sex. I'm sorry, but I would not like that even when I was a 15 year old. I just don't get their brand.
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nicole 1-07-2008 @ 8:46PM
if you don't like it don't look at it. it's that simple
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mima 1-07-2008 @ 9:02PM
i now buy from A&F for my grandaughter but if this catalog is printed i will shop somewhere else. at 14 yrs old she is very impressionable
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SM 1-07-2008 @ 9:20PM
There selling clothing by showing naked people, Doesen't make much sense. They can do as they like, but if you want to see what the clothes look like wouldn't it make more sense to have the model wear it than to have a naked person holding up the shirt?
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Kelly 1-07-2008 @ 9:50PM
I never really saw anything wrong with the catalog (outside of it being rather boring) nor of their advertising tactics. The reason why their tactics worked is because it got people to talk. Talk and curiosity makes people read/look through the catalog and that sold their product. Europeans, generally speaking, are more open minded to the human body so I'm certain that the catalog will not cause the controversy it did in the US. So many Americans are so uptight over seeing the human body it's unreal.
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Nick 1-07-2008 @ 9:51PM
A&F used to RANK ther employees in categories of BEAUTY.
so the "ugly" ones worked in the back while the "beautiful" ones worked out with the consumers.
the "catalog" doesnt advertise the clothing, just the brand and the people who supposedly wear the brand.
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Kelly 1-07-2008 @ 9:51PM
In June 2003 a lawsuit was brought against A&F for employment discrimination. Where was the outrage over that? There was more outrage over their catalog then over their hiring practices.
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Linda 1-07-2008 @ 10:15PM
Maybe I am showing my age, but I am tired of seeing airbrushed twenty somethings with perfect bodies (not even a freckle) being held as the standard of beauty. We are real people, with real skin, real bobbies, real tummies and not all men look like Gold's gym ads. Lets get real folks.
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Rei 1-07-2008 @ 10:36PM
I honestly don't care.
But really, it's not a big deal to me.
It's art.
Has anyone looked at it that way? It's not really pornographic to me. It's tastefully done actually.
And so what if they're not wearing clothing...do you honestly think a teenage girl is going to think," Jeez, if I wear their clothing it'll magically cause me to become naked and surrounded by naked men!"
I doubt it.
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LAL 1-16-2008 @ 12:09AM
Gosh, I had no idea it was really an ART magazine.
Brandi 1-07-2008 @ 10:55PM
AF has some of the most boring clothes on the planet. I don't understand why so many people are willing to drop 40 bucks for a navy blue t-shirt that says "Abercrombie" across it in crappily sewed on letters. I'd much rather spend money on something a little bit more creative and colorful, thank you.
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janis 1-07-2008 @ 11:22PM
I think Abercrombie needs the marketing power of a contraversial calendar. There clothing is just okay and waaaay over priced. I think they are not much better than gap or banana and much more costly.
I shop mostly through an online shopping mall that gives me between 5-55% back in
cash on all my purchases. There are over 1000 stores including Bare
Necessities, Sephora, Apple, The Gap, Target (great for soo much),
Macy's. I also wait for sales so I get my cash back and the lowest
price
http://www.dailyoink.com The site is ugly, but well worth it.
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Jeffinator44 1-07-2008 @ 11:30PM
I think that. in a free market, if enough people vote with their wallets rather than whining about it, it will carry all the weight needed to communicate whatever message it is you wish to communicate. Clearly, they're bringing it back because they believe sales will go up. They're in business to make a buck, not to care about moral outrage. Speak with your wallet.
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Ashley 1-07-2008 @ 11:38PM
Have to agree with Brandi. Boring is an understatement, but then again, I've always hated the prep look. The too short shirt with the popped collar (how thug can you be wearing this crap?) Ackk. As far as the advertising, the only way to catch the eye of mindless folk is to throw some boobs at em..MUST..HAVE..ABERCROMBIE..You can keep it. I'll not be washed away in a sea of khaki!!!!!
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candi 1-07-2008 @ 11:51PM
alot of people here in the us is so goody goody .this is not porn
and there is not one thing wrong with it.
we aready have to many laws just use some com.sense
but I am sure that there will be some one with there head up there buts that will make something of this and it will be band from use.
and on top of that its art and there is nothing wrong with a persons body its the minds that we all need the think about.
people think nasty with they see a naked body.
why not see it as what it realy is { art }
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