What went around certainly came around to bite Abercrombie and Fitch in the pants. Following the media tumult surrounding its CEO's comments, the fashion retailer has reported a drop of 17 percent in its U.S. sales for the first quarter of the year.
According to an article in the Huffington Post, future profit is likely to plummet. One can't help but surmise that the public outcry had something to do with those figures, though Mike Jeffries blames the shortfall on "inventory shortages."
Apparently sales had actually declined prior to the resurgence in Jeffries' contentious and elitist comments dating back to 2006, in which he claimed his brand only markets to "cool, good-looking people," and none above a certain size. The responses have been tremendous, from a 'plus-sized' blogger and homeless donning the label in mock protest.
In attempt to dig his foot out, the Abercrombie CEO publicly regretted via Facebook that his "choice of words was interpreted in a manner that has caused offense." An apology, of sorts.
What do you think? Has karma befallen the brand, or just a retailer's bad luck?
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