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Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) is an upscale American retailer that focuses on upscale casual wear for young consumers, and is headquartered in New Albany, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Four Iconic Businesses: One "BRAND" )〕 It has over 400 locations in the United States, and is expanding internationally.〔(View Competitors for Abercrombie & Fitch Company (ANF) ).〕 The company operates two offshoot brands: Abercrombie Kids and Hollister Co., in addition to two brands, Ruehl No.925 and Gilly Hicks, that closed in early 2010 and 2014, respectively.〔 Abercrombie & Fitch is notable for using "brand representatives" (previously called "models") for store customer service. Its main competitors are Aéropostale and American Eagle Outfitters. Its younger subsidiary, Abercrombie Kids, competes with Aéropostale's P.S., and American Eagle Outfitters's 77kids. Abercrombie & Fitch has been the subject of controversies including allegations of discrimination, preadult sexualized ad campaigns, and promoting an elitist attitude on the basis of looks or social status. ==History== (詳細はManhattan borough of New York City, New York, by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch, Abercrombie & Fitch was an elite outfitter of sporting and excursion goods, particularly noted for its expensive shotguns, fishing rods, fishing boats, and tents. In 1976, Abercrombie & Fitch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, finally closing its flagship store at Madison Avenue and East 45th Street in 1977.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Abercrombie & Fitch Co. History )〕 Shortly thereafter the name was revived in 1978, Oshman's Sporting Goods, a Houston-based chain owned by Jake Oshman,〔''Wall Street Journal'', 1978〕 bought the defunct firm's name and mailing list for $1.5 million〔("Why Abercrombie Is Losing Its Shirt" ). ''New York''. Retrieved February 12, 2014.〕 ($5.2 million in 2013 dollars).〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=CPI Inflation Calculator )〕 Oshman's relaunched A&F as a mail-order retailer specializing in hunting wear and novelty items. It also opened shops in Beverly Hills, Dallas, and (by the mid-1980s) New York City. Finally, in 1988, Oshman's sold the company name and operations to The Limited, a clothing-chain operator based in Columbus, Ohio.〔 〕 Abercrombie & Fitch gradually shifted its focus to young adults, first as a subsidiary of Limited Brands and then as a separate, publicly traded company; and grew to become one of the largest apparel firms in the United States. Since 1997, the company has consistently kept a high-profile in the public eye, due to its advertising, its philanthropy, and its involvement in legal conflicts over branding, clothing style and employment practices. In the first decade of the 21st century, the Great Recession battered the company's business as teenagers looked to lower-priced fast fashion brands like H&M and Forever 21 for fashion. Abercrombie & Fitch's stock price dropped from an all-time high of $84.23 in October 2007 to a low of $14.64 in November 2008.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=ANF Historical Prices | Abercrombie & Fitch Company Com Stock )〕 The company worked to overhaul its merchandise mix and cut underperforming stores, but lackluster performance has continued. Longtime CEO Michael Jeffries stepped down in December 2014, after 22 years with the company. To combat heavy competition from fast-fashion retailers like Forever 21 and H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch announced key changes to change its image. It aims to reduce emphasis on sexualized advertising and focus more on customer service & diversity. Among the changes announced are eliminating sexualized advertising, no longer having shirtless models at new store openings, and eliminating sexualized pictures and advertising on bags, gift cards, and in stores. They are changing the name of store employees from "models" to "brand representatives", and will allow a more individualistic dress code. "Brand representatives" will also focus more on customer service by asking customers for help in stores, as opposed to past policies of aloofness. They also aim to promote more diversity among store employees and executives as well. A&F is signaling it will be implementing changes quickly.〔 As of May 2015, the changes were already very apparent in stores. All "permanent marketing" images at the cash wrap and fitting rooms have been removed. Also, store models are no longer dressed in Abercrombie clothes.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Abercrombie & Fitch」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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