Elizabeth Segran
Appearances
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
The preppy stuff that I remember was very cute for high school, but I don't know that I would want to wear like that, like tennis pleat skirt into my first job. What does it look like now?
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
Very Abercrombie and Fitch? I'm Noelle King with Elizabeth Segrin. She's a senior staff writer at Fast Company. She writes about the fashion industry. And Elizabeth's early memories of Abercrombie?
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
I only recently started seeing stories about Abercrombie being back. I didn't see like a big relaunch. It's not coming up in my ads on Hulu. How did they get the word out?
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
It is remarkable, and it makes me wonder whether there is a takeaway here for other brands that might be struggling.
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
Elizabeth Segrin is a writer at Fast Company. Today's show was produced by Amanda Llewellyn. She had help from Peter Balanon-Rosen. Amina El-Sadi was our editor, Matthew Collette fact-checked, and Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristen's daughter engineered. I'm Noelle King. It's Today Explained.
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
You were indeed. When did you experience Abercrombie in the flesh?
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
But for a time, it defined what it meant to dress and act like a teenager.
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
You sought Abercrombie out and that was kind of a weird thing to do. But actually, it was not that weird because it was so huge. I can totally see why you were like, I want to see this thing in the flesh.
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
But then the brand cratered, done in by the cheap shots it took at women, Asians, West Virginia, and male gymnasts, among others, and a CEO who was recently charged with running a sex trafficking ring. But quietly, Abercrombie has been mounting an incredible comeback. You might even find yourself in one this Black Friday, and you will not be alone. Coming up on Today Explained.
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
Summer of 1999. Britney had her first hit. TLC had their millionth. American Pie was in theaters. Carson Daly was on TRL. And the cool kids wore Abercrombie and Fitch. Abercrombie didn't invent the American teenager. Hollywood did that.
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
And there were lots of brands. I mean, over time, there have been lots of brands that are exclusive. That is part of the marketing. It's what gets non-cool people to buy in, that this is what they should be wearing. Not all of those brands, though, go through the absolute Roman Empire of a fall that Abercrombie went through.
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
Walk us through some of the scandals and missteps, the newsmaking moments of that.
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
This is, I mean, this is a preppy clothing brand that literally lost a Supreme Court case against it. How bad? Was that the low point? How bad did it get for Abercrombie?
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
Elizabeth Segrin, Fast Company, coming up, the Abercromback, the Abercrombissance. Do you have one? That's so good.
Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
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Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
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Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
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Today, Explained
How Abercrombie made a comeback
It's Today Explained, back with Elizabeth Segrin, senior writer at Fast Company. All right, so Elizabeth, you have been a fashion writer for a long time. When did you start to suspect that Abercrombie & Fitch was trying to turn things around?