Abercrombie and Fitch—the naked guys 不穿衣服的家伙：阿伯克龙比和惠誉

要解释“咸鱼翻身”，阿伯克龙比和惠誉（Abercrombie and Fitch, A&F）绝对是一个好例子。A&F 1892年由戴维·阿伯克龙比（David T. Abercrombie）和埃兹拉·惠誉（Ezra Fitch）在美国曼哈顿创立，专营高级运动和旅游服装，但公司在20世纪70年代出现财务困难，“苟延残喘”到1988年被The Limited 公司并购，才得以重生； 随后品牌重新定位为“奢侈休闲服”（casual luxury），以大学生为主要销售对象。当时为了建立新形象重振雄风，找来一班筋肉少男少女拍产品目录，那些模特不单穿着衣服好看，连不穿衣服也一样好看，所以要拿产品目录，得18岁以上才行。我一位女性朋友多年前到美国出差，亦到A&F潮店拜会一番，结账时顺便拿本目录，怎知售货员要她出示身份证证明已成年，真是哭笑不得——西方人以为东方人真有长生不老药，个个都是青年才俊？不单这样，A&F还遭到一群正义家长“抵制”，据说是因为衣服设计过分性感，有鼓吹性早熟之嫌。谁知2012年A&F香港中环旗舰店开幕，还是请来一班筋肉型男，赤膊露胸，迷倒一众靓女靓太，只因爱美都是人的天性！今时今日，不用成年才可穿A&F, A&F kids 在1998年开始销售，对象为7至14岁的儿童。

虽然品牌宣传高级形象，但A&F做事手法也有“下流”的时候，并在多次不平等和种族歧视案件中被判罚款，更使其“声名大噪”。于是，被人吿得多总要反击一下，就是人红有人跟——American Eagle Outfitters “借用”A&F灵感赚得盆满钵满，可惜法庭说还没有使消费者产生混淆……

此外，在2015年4月，他们说不会在商店里使用裸体模特推广，你认为他们能够保持多长时间？

We can use “revival” to describe the brand Abercrombie and Fitch. In 1892 it was founded by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch in Manhattan, US. It first focused on high-end sport and traveller's wear. In the 1970s, it had financial difficulties and the business slumped. Till 1988, it was acquired by The Limited group and then the brand was reborn. They remarketed a new position and they mainly did casual luxury. The target group should be university students. In order to sell a new image, they find nice body forms of boys and girls for catalogue promotion. As the models almost looked naked on catalogues, people who aged over 18 could allow to take it. For this issue I had a friend and she had a business trip in US many years ago. She visited the shop, bought some clothes and when checked the bills, she wanted to take away a catalogue. By that time, a salesman insisted her to show her identity card for fear that she was not over 18. My friend was a bit annoyed. Perhaps western people always mistake for Asian people do look forever young! Besides, parents do not like A&F too as their campaign always stress sexy and seductive body figures. Don't you know when they opened a flagship store in Central Hong Kong they hired a lot of shirtless male models who showed off their rippling muscles that drew a lot of ladies attention? Today, not only adults can wear it, if you are aged between 7 and 14, you can wear their A & F Kids as it was launched in 1998.

Though the brand stresses a high-end image, the business strategy runs on a contrary way. The company was fined many times for inequality and racial discrimination and in the end made it notorious. They also brought their keen competitor American Eagle Outfitters to lawsuit because they thought the latter “borrowed” their inspiration. However, the court concluded that their style was different and customers could distinguish it.

By the way, in April 2015, they confirmed that they would not use naked models to promote in shops anymore. Do you think how long they can stay?

Abercrombie and Fitch claims they will not use naked models for promotion anymore. Will you believe it?

Abercrombie and Fitch声称他们不会再使用赤裸裸的模特，你会相信吗？

Shop in Hong Kong: 12 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong

香港地址： 香港中环毕打街12号

Illustration/插图： Sam