2 cents: A&F, Fitch the Homeless & Social Stratification

So imagine most of us have heard by now the ridiculous comments made by Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jefferies about “not wanting fat people wearing the brand’s clothing”.  He goes on to say: “That’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people.”

I’m sure he is just a hoot to hang out with. So long as you aren’t fat. Or non-white. Or poor. Yeah, definitely don’t be poor.

In response to A&F’s massive douchebaggery, Greg Karber replied with this video in his Fitch the Homeless campaign. In an attempt to rebrand A&F he filmed himself going to thrift stores to pick up their clothes and then went to Skid Row and gave them to homeless people. 

I might have been the only person on Facebook who didn’t think it was totally awesome. In fact, I think he is completely missing the point in his efforts.

Here’s my problem with it: Karber is promoting this stratification between the poor and the wealthy by using the homeless as props for his project. What’s worse, he’s telling other people to go do the same and film it. Never once in the video did he stop and talk with these individuals, in fact at one point he was throwing clothes at them. He has dehumanized them and to me, that is a far worse insult than anything the jerk Mike Jefferies has said.

This effort doesn’t resolve anything. It doesn’t get to the root of the problem. There has got to be a better way of getting your voice heard than prancing around Skid Row throwing clothes at the homeless to teach some corporation what’s up. My suggestion? Boycott them and all their clothing lines (A&F, Hollister Co., Gilly Hicks and A&F kids) and be sure to tell them why they won’t get your money.