This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Abercrombie & Fitch found themselves in some serious shit after declaring that their clothes were for cool, skinny kids, and that's why they didn't carry sizes above a 10.
They were protested by bloggers and filmmakers alike, and most recently, 18-year-old Benjamin O’Keefe met with executives at the company's Ohio offices and received an apology.
O'Keefe is the survivor of an eating disorder, according to People, and he showed up at the HQ along with members of the National Eating Disorder Association. The gossip magazine reports that A&F said in a statement:
“We look forward to continuing this dialogue and taking concrete steps to demonstrate our commitment to anti-bullying in addition to our ongoing support of diversity and inclusion. We want to reiterate that we sincerely regret and apologize for any offense caused by comments we have made in the past which are contrary to these values.”
Leading up to O'Keefe's meeting, blogger Tusconian Jes posted pictures of herself -- a self-described "fat model" -- in A&F clothes alongside a hunky conventional male model.
Before that, filmmaker Greg Karber walked around downtown L.A. handing out A&F clothes to the homeless in an attempt to give the brand a new look and demographic.
