Disgusting attitude to larger ladies from A&F Ceo

kowloon

Montroseee wrote: »

A lot of green eyed posters in here. Although, I can see why, ventured into the Hollister store in Dundrum for the first time today and my God the girls in there are stunning

It's good business, as someone has mentioned already in the thread, but all those staff are another thing that's factored into the cost to the consumer.

As repugnant as the guys attitude might seem, they're in the business of selling an image. The product only has to meet a given standard, after that the value is in the image they're selling. Perfume is a better example. The stuff itself is cheap, the bottle costs more than the contents and the advertising campaign and all the celebrities and models they employ are worth more again.

Greentopia

I think A&F clothing very very boring-I wouldn't wear them cleaning the loo quite frankly-and I don't mean to offend anyone here but I see the people who wear them as lacking in any individual style so no, I won't be boycotting them as I wouldn't buy them in the first place.

And although the CEO's attitude stinks he's entitled to whatever opinion he wants about who he wants in his stores, regardless of how foolish and counter productive it may be.
The sad thing is that it may influence some teens to want to diet to fit into his boring clothing, so it is irresponsible in that sense.

Plus, who is he to talk about looks?? he looks like one of those sad people you see in articles about people who've gone way overboard with the (badly done) plastic surgery. His head is grotesque.

Big Bottom wrote: »

'Acceptable'? I'm size 14 and I accept myself for who I am rather than comparing myself to twig creatures.

I'm a healthy fit size 8, I don't starve myself to stay thin (sorry to disappoint) but yet you find it acceptable to call people my size names like that? :rolleyes: what a hypocrite. I think you owe people like me an apology for that remark quite frankly.

Greentopia

kilkenny12 wrote: »

Agreed.
Most people would never call a overweight person "fatty" or whatever. But if you exercise a lot and are fairly skinny, you can be damn sure to get called a "skinny bitch" or "lanky" on a regular basis.

I was in hospital once being weighted in prior to an operation and when the nurse saw my weight on the scales she said "skinny rip", and it wasn't said in a jokey manner either, there was a clear bitchiness and note of jealousy to the tone of her voice when she said it!
I should have reported her to her superior actually. :mad:

Imagine the uproar if I'd said something back to her about her own (not insubstantial) weight! :rolleyes: it's double standards and count me among the people here who is also sick to the back teeth of thinking it's ok to call me names like that for being thin, or that they're giving me some kind of "compliment" by calling me skinny or tell me I'm too thin, should eat more etc., yet if I ever dared to mention anything about a fat person's weight (which I never have btw because it's none of my business and it would be plain rude to do so) they would have a fit!

Pug160

Another thing people are forgetting here is that quite a lot of people are skinny-fat.

bodice ripper

I wouldn't wear their clothes if they were free and came in expedition size.

Who are these vacuous jack-asses who's lives are diminished by not being able to fit in faux-varsity nonsense?

Steve O

OP, I've been looking for a big fatso to shoot with a cannon. I'd like very much for you to be that fatso.


mod

Banned.

Legs.Eleven

kilkenny12 wrote: »

Agreed.
Most people would never call a overweight person "fatty" or whatever. But if you exercise a lot and are fairly skinny, you can be damn sure to get called a "skinny bitch" or "lanky" on a regular basis.

But I'm not talking about fairly skinny or even skinny and i haven't been since I made my point.

I don't want to have to keep repeating myself. We seem to have our wires crossed. Slim/skinny people aren't at the other end of the spectrum from obese people (who are putting their lives at risk with the weight they're carrying) so I'm making comparisons with people suffering anorexia (who are also putting their lives at risk). Both deserve sympathy and not ridicule. If you tell me that people ridicule them frequently (not skinny people and not slim people....Anorexics) then you're wrong. It does not happen and if it does, it's NOTHING like what obese people are subjected to and in no way as frequent or as prevalent.


Again, I'm not talking about slim or fairly skinny or even skinny people (because yes, I acknowledge comments are made), I'm talking about sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa.

This ridicule under the guise of concern is a load of bollocks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g34dZLAIOLA

Legs.Eleven

juicyduckie wrote: »

Actually, I suffered from Anorexia Nervosa for a long time - when I was 17 I weighed about 7 stone 11 pounds, and I'm 5 foot 6.

I was in school at the time and people, both friends and random classmates, regularly called me a skinny b*tch and made comments regarding my weight such as 'you're far too skinny', 'go eat a McDonalds', 'oh my God you're way too tiny' etc.

It made me feel like sh*t to be honest, but when I said this I was viewed as showing off or pushing my 'luck' in heavier people's faces.

If this was reversed and friends had said 'you're too fat', 'you need to lose weight', 'stop eating so many burgers' there would have been outrage!

It political correctness gone mad, there are always two sides to every story.

I think you (Legs Eleven) are finding it difficult to see this issue objectively - I've been in recovery for nearly three years and am now around 10 stone 8 pounds, to this day when people comment on my weight it annoys me.

Being healthy, both physically and mentally, is the most important thing.

I wrote a reply to this but deleted it. I am willing to admit I'm wrong but I am going on my experiences and it seems all the ridicule of the media, Boards, television, owners of labels direct most of their ridicule towards obese people. I genuinely don't see any of it directed towards anorexia sufferers. You could type in "Fat" "disgusting" into Google and you'd get hundreds of pages but do the same for Anorexia and it wouldn't bring up as many (try it as an experiment).

I am willing to have my mind changed though but I just don't see any evidence of it bar anecdotal. I'm not saying ridicule doesn't exist but not on the same scale. I'm not sure how anyone can say it is.

Edit: I agree with your last comment btw and hence my original point that this kind of marketing won't achieve that.

Praetorian Saighdiuir

Is this the guy who invented the "No Fat Chicks" t-shirt?

kilkenny12

Legs.Eleven wrote: »

But I'm not talking about fairly skinny or even skinny and i haven't been since I made my point.

I don't want to have to keep repeating myself. We seem to have our wires crossed. Slim/skinny people aren't at the other end of the spectrum from obese people (who are putting their lives at risk with the weight they're carrying) so I'm making comparisons with people suffering anorexia (who are also putting their lives at risk). Both deserve sympathy and not ridicule. If you tell me that people ridicule them frequently (not skinny people and not slim people....Anorexics) then you're wrong. It does not happen and if it does, it's NOTHING like what obese people are subjected to and in no way as frequent or as prevalent.


Again, I'm not talking about slim or fairly skinny or even skinny people (because yes, I acknowledge comments are made), I'm talking about sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa.

This ridicule under the guise of concern is a load of bollocks.

Yes because anorexia is classified as a mental illness. I agree that obese people get slagged and anorexic people don't. Most people are frightened when they see someone with a mental illness. Whats your point exactly?

My point is that overweight people think it's acceptable to bring healthy people down to their level by commenting on someones weight, which is wrong. I've experienced it and its uncomfortable.

However, as sad as an illness like anorexia is, there are far far more people on the other end of the spectrum slowly killing themselves with food. Many are in denial to the damage they are doing, yet obesity is not, as far as I know, considered to be a mental illness.

GalwayGuy2

I wrote a reply to this but deleted it. I am willing to admit I'm wrong but I am going on my experiences and it seems all the ridicule of the media, Boards, television, owners of labels direct most of their ridicule towards obese people. I genuinely don't see any of it directed towards anorexia sufferers. You could type in "Fat" "disgusting" into Google and you'd get hundreds of pages but do the same for Anorexia and it wouldn't bring up as many (try it as an experiment).

I kind of did that out of curiosity:P

Fat Disgusting: 20,700,000

obesity disgusting: 1,090,000

Anorexia Disgusting: 454,000

Now this is pretty interesting:
Stick-Thin Disgusting: 67,500,000


Not sure what the last says about anything. But I wonder wether the insult "stick-thin" is part of pop-culture, and so is mentioned so much?

Btw, yeah people do have less sympathy for people who are obese IMO versus people who are anorexic.

kilkenny12

GalwayGuy2 wrote: »

I kind of did that out of curiosity:P

Fat Disgusting: 20,700,000

obesity disgusting: 1,090,000

Anorexia Disgusting: 454,000

Now this is pretty interesting:
Stick-Thin Disgusting: 67,500,000


Not sure what the last says about anything. But I wonder wether the insult "stick-thin" is part of pop-culture, and so is mentioned so much?

Btw, yeah people do have less sympathy for people who are obese IMO versus people who are anorexic.

But in all fairness, when was the last time you saw an anorexic person? They are quite rare.
When was the last time you saw an overweight/obese person? They are very common.

Legs.Eleven

kilkenny12 wrote: »

Yes because anorexia is classified as a mental illness. I agree that obese people get slagged and anorexic people don't. Most people are frightened when they see someone with a mental illness. Whats your point exactly?

My point is that overweight people think it's acceptable to bring healthy people down to their level by commenting on someones weight, which is wrong. I've experienced it and its uncomfortable.

However, as sad as an illness like anorexia is, there are far far more people on the other end of the spectrum slowly killing themselves with food. Many are in denial to the damage they are doing, yet obesity is not, as far as I know, considered to be a mental illness.

My original point was that no one should be ridiculed, obese or anorexic. Someone then jumped in and took something I said and went with that. It wasn't actually the point I was trying to make.

Obesity is an eating disorder just like anorexia. Obviously both deserve sympathy and I was simply making the point that bullying and ridicule isn't the right way to go about it. Not everyone on this thread agrees with me.

That's my point.

Legs.Eleven

GalwayGuy2 wrote: »

I kind of did that out of curiosity:P

Fat Disgusting: 20,700,000

obesity disgusting: 1,090,000

Anorexia Disgusting: 454,000

Now this is pretty interesting:
Stick-Thin Disgusting: 67,500,000


Not sure what the last says about anything. But I wonder wether the insult "stick-thin" is part of pop-culture, and so is mentioned so much?

Btw, yeah people do have less sympathy for people who are obese IMO versus people who are anorexic.

Again specifically referring to Anorexic sufferers and not jealous people labelling slim people "stick thin".

kowloon

GalwayGuy2 wrote: »

Not sure what the last says about anything. But I wonder wether the insult "stick-thin" is part of pop-culture, and so is mentioned so much?

Btw, yeah people do have less sympathy for people who are obese IMO versus people who are anorexic.

Stick-thin is an insult thrown about quite freely, I've heard it plenty of times, that's a massive result though. I think there's a more diverse range of insults for obese people.

Legs.Eleven

kilkenny12 wrote: »

But in all fairness, when was the last time you saw an anorexic person? They are quite rare.
When was the last time you saw an overweight/obese person? They are very common.

Overweight and obese are not the same thing. If I was one stone heavier then I am right now, perhaps I could be classed as overweight. Obese is a different kettle of fish.

Cody Pomeray

Legs.Eleven wrote: »

Obesity is an eating disorder just like anorexia.

Is it?

Anorexia by definition refers to a mental disorder revolving around food intake.

But obesity is simply a state of being which may or may not be pathological.

Plenty of people who eat past the point of hunger don't have any discernible disorder or illness.

kilkenny12

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

Is it?

Anorexia by definition refers to a mental disorder revolving around food intake.

But obesity is simply a state of being which may or may not be pathological.

Plenty of people who eat past the point of hunger don't have any discernible disorder or illness.

Yeah i don't think its a mental illness. Fat people don't think they are skinny in the way anorexics think they are fat.

It should be in the same category as alcohol/drug addiction, because at the end of the day, people are addicted to food. If you took an average obese person's diet and put them onto a very healthy diet in the space of 1 or 2 days, they would experience withdrawal symptoms. Sugar addiction- it's probably not a medical term but it's the cold hard truth.

kilkenny12

Legs.Eleven wrote: »

Overweight and obese are not the same thing. If I was one stone heavier then I am right now, perhaps I could be classed as overweight. Obese is a different kettle of fish.

I know. Both are still a lot more common than people with anorexia or bulimia.

Legs.Eleven

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

Is it?

Anorexia by definition refers to a mental disorder revolving around food intake.

But obesity is simply a state of being which may or may not be pathological.

Plenty of people who eat past the point of hunger don't have any discernible disorder or illness.

There seems to be a lot of debate about it. I'm reading this right now (and today's my birthday....how sad )....


http://www.ehps.net/ehp/issues/2009/v11iss3_Sept2009/EHP_Sept09_Wardle.pdf

ahnowbrowncow

Legs.Eleven wrote: »

There seems to be a lot of debate about it. I'm reading this right now (and today's my birthday....how sad )....


http://www.ehps.net/ehp/issues/2009/v11iss3_Sept2009/EHP_Sept09_Wardle.pdf

Are you fishing for happy birthdays?

Well you're in luck, Happy Birthday

Legs.Eleven

ahnowbrowncow wrote: »

Are you fishing for happy birthdays?

Well you're in luck, Happy Birthday

Ehhh.....kinda.

SEPT 23 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DtbPOXFk00

Grayson

Shenshen wrote: »

Could I be? Let's see... why, yes, yes I could.

I don't get how people could be attracted to anyone with a shaved head, but I don't go around proclaiming that it's impossible to be attracted to someone like that.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all.

I couldn't be attracted to someone that's too large. Don't get me wrong, a bit of extra weight is ok. But when someone's walk can be described as a waddle, when they can't see their feet or need an extra seat on a plane, that's too big.

And I wouldn't be with them for the same reason I wouldn't wear Abercrombie and Fitch. I have standards.

Brian_Zeluz

somefeen wrote: »

No one seems to care about the double standard for skinny men.
I'm about 5'11 and weigh 64kg. My BMI is just barely in the healthy range. I don't have any underlying health problems that make me this thin, its just the way I am, genetics maybe since both my mother and father are slim, my dad didn't get any kind of middle age belly until he was about 50 and that was due to a thyroid problem.

I eat well, I actually go out of my way to eat as much as possible. I used to do alot of weight training and that made only a slight difference. I've been to a dietitian followed all the advice I was given and still never topped 64kg.

I am constantly hearing "Eat a few cheese burgers" etc etc. And its usually just banter from friends and work mates, they mean no harm but it hurts to constantly have my weight pointed out to me.
I don't like being this thin, I don't think its at all attractive even though I have good muscle definition.
What kind of a woman would want to go out with a man the same weight or lighter than herself?
I'm convinced the only reason my current girlfriend found me attractive was because she's only 4'10" and 45kg. I look like a tank standing next to her :eek:

Sounds fairly similar to me (5'8" and 56kg). All the way through school and college I've had the snide calls of skinny prick etc not to mention the w##kers who think it's funny to pick you up as a competition but yet if I point out that someone is unhealthy from being overweight then all hell breaks loose. About four years ago when my BMI was 17 I would have been classed as anorexic and yet just like you I have always eaten how much I want when I want so I don't buy into this whole skinny people don't get slagged argument.

From a business point of view I honestly can't see what the problem is with creating an air of exclusivity, Ferrari have announced they are going to produce less road cars for the exact same reason and no one is giving off about that.

Legs.Eleven

kilkenny12 wrote: »

I know. Both are still a lot more common than people with anorexia or bulimia.

And?

I can absolutely guarantee you a Simpson's clip like the one posted would never be made around Homer suffering from Anorexia. I don't believe the reason obesity is ridiculed more than anorexia is because it's more prevalent. Many eople find fat people funny and the same people don't find anorexia funny yet both are in risk of losing their lives. I'm even referring to myself - I'm twenty times more shocked when I see an anorexia sufferer here in Madrid (a common sight) then I was when I saw morbidly obese people wheeling themselves around Denver in wheelchairs.

UCDVet

Image is a huge part of fashion.

Brands go out of their way to target the desires of specific segments of the population. There are brands that go out of their way to target large women too; but A&F doesn't. They have a target demographic and they go for it.

People *want* to feel exclusive, and showing only attractive people in your clothes is just one way to make it feel like it is exclusive. Otherwise, people are just left wondering why they've paid 100 euro for a pair of jeans.

kilkenny12

Legs.Eleven wrote: »

And?

I can absolutely guarantee you a Simpson's clip like the one posted would never be made around Homer suffering from Anorexia. I don't believe the reason obesity is ridiculed more than anorexia is because it's more prevalent. Many eople find fat people funny and the same people don't find anorexia funny yet both are in risk of losing their lives. I'm even referring to myself - I'm twenty times more shocked when I see an anorexia sufferer here in Madrid (a common sight) then I was when I saw morbidly obese people wheeling themselves around Denver in wheelchairs.

No, obesity is not ridiculed because it's more prevalent. I was simply pointing out that there is obviously going to be more "disgusting fat people" images than "disgusting skinny people" images, because there are more overweight people than underweight people.

Obesity is ridiculed because it's more acceptable in society, especially by people who are overweight or obese. Many fat people are happy. They take the pee out of themselves and this gives permission to others to do the same.
Not many anorexic people are happy. Probably none. They will never laugh about their bones in the way overweight people laugh at their rolls of fat.

Is it acceptable to ridicule anyone with a weight problem? No. It simply normalises it and that is dangerous.

I have no idea where this argument is going, we seem to agree with each other.:cool:

Montroseee

Back on topic, the man's attitude is a disgrace and he could well find himself in some sort of legal trouble with the comments he's made. I do love his female staff tho

kilkenny12

Montroseee wrote: »

Back on topic, the man's attitude is a disgrace and he could well find himself in some sort of legal trouble with the comments he's made. I do love his female staff tho

Yeah thread kinda derailed alright..
He won't though. He's been saying things like that for years.

end of the road

Fighting Irish wrote: »

good, maybe it'll make more people take their weight serious

ps i'm fat

it won't though, that sort of thing never does, people if they feel strongly about this man and his company take their business else where

ben.schlomo

Montroseee wrote: »

Back on topic, the man's attitude is a disgrace and he could well find himself in some sort of legal trouble with the comments he's made. I do love his female staff tho

Why? Its his ethos that his brand is marketed at 'cool' and 'fit' people, theres nothing wrong with that, he has targeted a particular market and is excluding other markets. Same as big and tall or 'large' ladies stores, nothing else. Any of the fat brigade whingeing should just relax.

Samsgirl

kilkenny12 wrote: »

Yeah i don't think its a mental illness. Fat people don't think they are skinny in the way anorexics think they are fat.

How do you know this? What facts do you have to support this statement?

kilkenny12

Samsgirl wrote: »

How do you know this? What facts do you have to support this statement?

Facts? It's a well known fact that anorexia is a mental illness in medical terms. Google "is obesity a mental illness" and you will find that very question. Anorexic people are treated in psychiatric hospitals, obese people are not.

As for the second sentence you quoted, most fat people know they are fat. You want facts to prove that? Have you never heard an overweight person complain about their weight? Have you never seen an overweight person try to lose weight through exercise and diet? Most overweight people are aware they are overweight and are not happy about it.

Now, have you ever tried to persuade someone who suffers with anorexia to eat? It is very difficult because they are mentally ill.

April O Neill

kilkenny12 wrote: »

Facts? It's a well known fact that anorexia is a mental illness in medical terms.

Binge eating disorder isn't yet classed as a mental illness, but very likely will be at some stage. It's most definitely a thing. It's like bulimia but stopping short of the purging stage.

kilkenny12

April O Neill wrote: »

Binge eating disorder isn't yet classed as a mental illness, but very likely will be at some stage. It's most definitely a thing. It's like bulimia but stopping short of the purging stage.

Agreed.
It's like an addiction to food. You do it and then you feel crap afterwards. It then harms your body.

Festy

This guy is a proper nut !

http://www.queerty.com/creepy-abercrombie-ceo-made-male-models-squirm-on-company-jet-20121019/

Samsgirl

[QUOTE=kilkenny12;84540660 Anorexic people are treated in psychiatric hospitals, obese people are not.

[/QUOTE]

yes, they are

kilkenny12

Samsgirl wrote: »

yes, they are

Ok.

El Inho

To be honest, I like the style of Abercrombie and the look. Unforunately, Abercrombie doesn't like me. Muscle fit me arse, it may aswell be called man boob wonder-bra shirts! Granted thats not great marketing.

But it doesn't bother me...in fact I save a fortune by knowing i look ridiculous in the clothes.

Captain Morgan Freeman

Shops should be allowed market their product to a specific demographic if they want. They world would be a lot more boring if every shop/brand was all PC/Vanilla.
The OP's post smacks of double standards too, shouldn't plus size only stores sell clothes for skinny people? Shouldn't vegan stores sell meat?
If you don't like it vote with your wallet and go shop somewhere else, as if the way Abercrombie chooses to market it's overpriced clothes actually affects your life in any way. :rolleyes:
Sweet Jesus.

end of the road

Captain Morgan Freeman wrote: »

Shops should be allowed market their product to a specific demographic if they want.

i think you'l find they are allowed to do as such

Katgurl

Yeah it's pretty obnoxious but makes good business sense. You have to target a demographic, you can't be all things to all gals. He is targeting young cool kids. The people wearing the clothes advertise them. It makes the clothes more desirable if the people wearing them are beautiful and popular.

BMWs became exclusive partially because not everyone can afford them. Rich successful people drive them. If everyone drove them they wouldn't be so desirable.

Captain Morgan Freeman

end of the road wrote: »

i think you'l find they are allowed to do as such

No one's saying they aren't

end of the road

Katgurl wrote: »

He is targeting young cool kids.

but in fairness what is a "cool" kid? kind of subjective is it not? i do agree with you but just putting it out there

errlloyd

Couple of things to think about.

If the size 16 girl feels **** she can't shop in one shop, how does the size 20 girl feel in all of the rest of them... Abercrombie aren't the only people who don't cater for big sizes, they just re-defined big.

Tommy Hielfieger ect price poor people out of their clothes, intentionally. Brands like Louis Vitton destroy their old stock to prevent it from getting to discount outlets. They socially engineer their clientèle even more.

Designers all across the world design clothing that don't work with black skin, or don't work with pale skin.

This is what a brand is, but the hardest truth of all is that we don't buy A&F because it looks nice, or because it's durable or cheap. We don't even buy it because thin people wear it, we buy it because HOT people wear it. A&F don't decide who is hot, we do, they're just catering to that. If you think Abercrombie are the ones who decided thin people are attractive you're getting cause and effect mixed up. While I agree they're probably perpetuating the idea, the real person you want to go and talk to are the publishers of teen / womens magazines.

dartup

their big size is 14 which is big

LUPE

Who the **** gets offended by stuff like this?

Also, obesity a mental illness? Do me a favour!

Esoteric_

LUPE wrote: »

Who the **** gets offended by stuff like this?

Also, obesity a mental illness? Do me a favour!

People aren't saying that obesity is a mental illness. They're saying that in some instances, mental illness can contribute to it. It sure did when I was obese.


Tbh, I can fit into the clothes from A+F (12 on top, 14 on bottom), but I wouldn't wear them because they're tacky as fook.

I don't get the hype, either. There are loads of brands and high street stores that don't cater for anything bigger than a 14 or 16, and so what? They have a target market and they cater to it accordingly. Who gives a fook?

Back when I was morbidly obese and started losing weight, I remember my proudest moment, after 2 years of careful diet and exercise, was fitting into clothes from any shop I wanted to go into, rather than being limited to plus size shops.


Tbh, I don't see why anyone would be offended by the man's words. He's just more upfront about it than other people. If you don't like it, don't shop there. I don't think he'd care too much, since his clothes aren't made for bigger people.