economie

I visited Abercrombie & Fitch for the first time in years. The brand is back from the dead, but its menswear may not be.

August 5, 20240
Abercrombie & Fitch used to have shopping bags with shirtless models.

Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Part of Abercrombie’s revival is tied to consumer nostalgia, but my days shopping there as a child were short-lived.

By the time high school rolled around, I had sized out of its offerings.

My limited memories of the brand consist of being uncomfortable in its fitting rooms while trying to squeeze my plump body into its XL offerings and feeling inadequate as I watched my friends revel in the stylistic magic that was wearing clothes from Abercrombie, Hollister, American Eagle, and every other mall-famous retailer.

However, a decade later — and 100 pounds smaller — I’m finally able to shop at this once hot and thriving destination.

Abercrombie has changed a lot since then, and I could see just how much its aesthetic and offerings have shifted by looking at its online presence.

On the brand’s Instagram page, I found a curated collection of models, “real people,” and new clothing drops.

I would encapsulate the brand’s aesthetic in three words: carefree, chic, and “cool” — purposefully in air quotes so its definition can be debated among shoppers.

But that’s enough about “cool.” Here’s my experience shopping Abercrombie’s menswear section for the first time in over a decade: the good, the bad, and the very, very neutral.

The famous black-and-white storefront looked the same as I remembered it.
The Abercrombie location I visited was extremely organized.

Gianluca Russo

As I took my first few steps into the store, not a shirt, pant, nor short was out of place.

In fact, this location’s superbly organized selection of clothing made the overall shopping experience the easiest I’ve had in a very long time.

I was first met with a selection of button-ups, polos, and slacks that could easily be paired together.

It was quickly clear to me that Abercrombie had established a color palette and clung to it, playing more with texture and occasional pattern than shades of the rainbow.

Beach vibes filled every corner of the store.
Some of the menswear at Abercrombie had fun prints and colors.

Gianluca Russo

As I made my way past the dressier selection of pants and button-ups, I arrived at Abercrombie’s summer collection, which, to my surprise, included a small offering of color otherwise not found in the store.

This playful selection — with shades of green, blue, and the occasional orange — was a breath of fresh air. However, it all felt very familiar.

I quickly realized I’d seen similar garments in other mall retailers in the past few weeks, including Zara and H&M. Most items felt “cool” and somewhat fun but lacking in originality.

The pants were incredibly well-organized but missing a few sizes.
Abercrombie had shelves and racks of graphic T-shirts.

Gianluca Russo

Instead of tees covered in its logo, Abercrombie had a fine selection of shirts featuring bands and references to the Olympics.

I love graphic T-shirts and was pleased to see this. They’re truly the easiest and most versatile garments to style.

The dressing rooms didn’t inspire much confidence.
The pants and shirts I tried on fit me well.

Gianluca Russo

I took a few pants, shorts, and tops to the fitting room and had a major win: Everything fit.

In fact, I found Abercrombie’s garments to fit more reliably than ones from other mall retailers I’ve visited.

For context, the clothing I tried on was either in medium or large sizes. The fit felt standard and reliable across all the items I tried.

I felt a lot of the items had prices I had to think twice about.
I could see myself going back to Abercrombie for some basics but the menswear selection was very neutral-heavy.

Gianluca Russo

I, unfortunately, realized midway through my recent shopping spree that perhaps I’m simply too late to the Abercrombie craze to feel any sort of special favor toward the brand.

For me, someone who spent half a decade working in New York City’s fashion scene, Abercrombie’s definition of “cool” is as plain and generic as most other retailers I’ve come across.

The brand really is “cool” enough for the closets of what seems to be its current target demographic: teens and young adults with limited budgets.

And I can’t say I won’t ever step into an Abercrombie again. After all, the brand has an easily accessible range of fashion basics that can fit into any wardrobe.

But is its menswear selection, a sea of mostly neutrals, “cool” enough to really stand out? I’m not so sure, but I guess that’s up to the shoppers, who currently seem happy to be keeping Abercrombie alive.