The Abercrombie and Fitch Quarterly catalog is out in stores, and for seven bucks and an 18-year-old ID, you too can take a glimpse at the new spring fashion trends as presented in the “Lifestyle Publication of Abercrombie and Fitch.”
Upon flipping through the pages of the publication, it seems the editors must have made a mistake when they named this Spring Break edition “Bring it On…” Clearly, the catalog should have been titled “Take it Off…Take it ALL off.”
The Quarterly, released February 8, features nude, semi-nude, and suggestively posed photographs, such as threesomes and orgies.
Of the 280 page catalog, more than 120 pages represent these sexual images, while only 104 pages are actually devoted to selling clothing.
Abercrombie and Fitch model Sarah Parr is one of the few female models in the catalog who remains consistently “clothed” while frolicking through the grassy dunes of the Hamptons.
“There wasn’t huge pressure for the girls to go nude, but it is quite obvious that the people who did nudes got in the catalog much more than I did,” Parr told the Mirror.
Parr said she felt the pressure to photograph nude, but was unwilling to compromise her moral beliefs for exposure in the publication.
“It’s your choice as a model how you want to represent yourself and your body,” Parr said.
The racy new catalog has stirred up controversy and has been met with great resistance, especially from the conservative American Decency Association.
According to the association’s website, it believes that Abercrombie is “bringing dishonor to its corporate name and damage to America’s youth” by utilizing a “pornographic catalog to lure youthful customers.”
The Quarterly is no stranger to public eye. In 2001, A’F was required to prevent the sale of their catalog to minors. Precautionary efforts were taken to cover up the catalog, including shrink-wrap and graphic overlays to obstruct any front cover nudity.
In response to public criticism, A’F spokesperson Hampton Carney said the company’s point of view is that, “it is beautiful fashion photography. It’s clean, sexy, and we think our customers will really love it.”
And many Fairfield University students/customers do really love it, including Hunter Greeley, ’04.
“I really don’t see anything wrong with it,” said Greeley. “Sex sells.” Other students on campus are not so understanding of Abercrombie’s marketing technique.
“Abercrombie is completely exploiting the concept of ‘sex sells’ to the fullest,” said Mark Calder, ’04. “They are drawing a connection between their clothes and beautiful people with beautiful bodies. These naked bodies do not represent Abercrombie and Fitch.”
“Aren’t they supposed to be showing clothes?” asked Abby Sheehan, ’06. “This is not a good image to portray for girls who are trying to obtain an ‘ideal’ body.” Dr. Dorothea Braginsky, a psychology professor at Fairfield, agreed.
“These kinds of images which are not representative of the population can lead to body image issues in both men and women,” said Braginsky. “Through these repeat images people become more susceptible to disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, compulsive over-exercising and muscle dysmorphia.”
In September 2000, in an effort to combat eating disorders on campus, the university began working with the Renfrew Center, a private and professional facility exclusively dedicated to the treatment of eating disorders.
“Eating disorders on campus were widespread and significant enough for us to realize that we needed outside help,” said Jeanne DiMuzio, director of wellness and prevention.
Abercrombie and Fitch has continued to push the envelope in successive catalogs, making it more and more risqué in an effort to captivate audiences.
A’F must be doing something right if they can keep selling clothes in a magazine that doesn’t have any clothes.
“Abercrombie has a certain style,” said Dan Edsall, an A’F Store Manager, “and whether our models are clothed or not, our advertising method is obviously working.”
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