How A CEO Can Wreck A Brand In One Interview

[derspiess]

Yeah, I'm not sure to what degree this is wrecking the brand, however much of a douche the CEO seems to be.

My wife saw this story the other day, became outraged and said "we're never shopping there".

I did think to myself "well, we never did shop there, and I always associated A&F with douchebag college students, so I have no intention to start".

My wife would have the opposite reaction

[Valmy]

My wife saw this story the other day, became outraged and said "we're never shopping there".

I did think to myself "well, we never did shop there, and I always associated A&F with douchebag college students, so I have no intention to start".

What is she so upset about?  It was not like A&F is the only store not to have plus sizes.  The fact that their CEO said something seven years ago suddenly makes this an outrage?  It is not as if there are not plenty of other stores who do.

[Barrister]

My wife saw this story the other day, became outraged and said "we're never shopping there".

I did think to myself "well, we never did shop there, and I always associated A&F with douchebag college students, so I have no intention to start".

What is she so upset about?  It was not like A&F is the only store not to have plus sizes.  The fact that their CEO said something seven years ago suddenly makes this an outrage?  It is not as if there are not plenty of other stores who do.

The whole "we don't want overweight women wearing our brand" thing.  Plus while plenty of stores don't carry "plus sizes", I don't think XXL would generally be counted as a "plus size" and can usually be found in any general clothing retailer.

[Ed Anger]

I like to hang out at Lane Bryant and masturbate into the plants.

[MadImmortalMan]

There are stores for B&T people that don't carry anything that fits me. I don't care. I think the issue is that he talked about it with arrogance like that.

[Malthus]

Heh this whole controversy reminds me of the "our men's magazine uses pretty women as sex objects to sell stuff" 'revelation'. The offence is saying straightforwardly what ought to be decently hidden behind a comforting layer of hypocrisy. "Yes, of course, we, the maker of this premium brand, embrace the beauty of diversity in all its forms. It is a complete mystery to us why there exist no larger sizes for our clothing. We will get right on that".   

[Valmy]

The whole "we don't want overweight women wearing our brand" thing.  Plus while plenty of stores don't carry "plus sizes", I don't think XXL would generally be counted as a "plus size" and can usually be found in any general clothing retailer.

Huh?  Of course it would.  Plus size is not really that big.  I think any woman wearing XL or XXL would be considered plus size.  I think it is only like size 14 or 16 on up.

[Legbiter]

Zara, the Euro clothes retailer has issues with expanding into the US as well.

And what is the problem in America? They don't fit in the clothes. So why do it? Having to make larger sizes makes production so much more complex."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/magazine/how-zara-grew-into-the-worlds-largest-fashion-retailer.html?pagewanted=5&ref=general&src=me&_r=0

[merithyn]

 

http://www.upworthy.com/how-does-the-worst-human-being-of-retail-sleep-at-night-after-he-sees-this-he-wont?g=2&c=la1

[Valmy]

http://www.upworthy.com/how-does-the-worst-human-being-of-retail-sleep-at-night-after-he-sees-this-he-wont?g=2&c=la1

Maybe I just do not take things personally enough but surely you have to do more to be the worse person in retail than not stock plus sized clothes.

[Admiral Yi]

All these angry fatties should go jog off their anger.  Or maybe an hour with the heavy bag.

[merithyn]

Maybe I just do not take things personally enough but surely you have to do more to be the worse person in retail than not stock plus sized clothes.

How can you not see that the issue is his comments were insulting and has very little to do with whether or not he's stocking plus-sized clothing?

[MadImmortalMan]

Zara, the Euro clothes retailer has issues with expanding into the US as well.

And what is the problem in America? They don't fit in the clothes. So why do it? Having to make larger sizes makes production so much more complex."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/magazine/how-zara-grew-into-the-worlds-largest-fashion-retailer.html?pagewanted=5&ref=general&src=me&_r=0

Yeah I remember that. Zara aren't being jerks about it though.

[Barrister]

"We have to make bigger clothes because Americans are fat" is worlds different than "we don't want fat women wearing our clothes because it would devalue the brand".

[Valmy]

How can you not see that the issue is his comments were insulting and has very little to do with whether or not he's stocking plus-sized clothing?

I see that it is insulting, sure.  Lots of insulting and stupid things have been said during 2006 and since.  What I do not see is why people are personally outraged by something that seems to have been resolved seven years ago.  Are people really this hardup for something to be insulted by?