I visited Abercrombie & Fitch for the first time in years. The brand is back from the dead, but its menswear may not be.

Gianluca RussoAug 5, 2024, 20:39 IST

Gianluca Russo; Rebecca Zisser/BI<ul class="summary-list"><li>I visited <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/abercrombie-and-fitch-rise-and-fall-lawsuits-controversy-comeback-2022-8">Abercrombie & Fitch</a> to see if the brand is living up to its recent hype.</li><li>The brand has been revived, in part, by millennial nostalgia, but I don't feel a connection to it.</li></ul>As the retail scene and style industry as a whole navigates the age of changing TikTok trends and <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-fashion-christmas-shopping-clothes-returns-shein-zara-waste-mountain-2022-12">fast-fashion spirals</a>, many once-thriving brands have had to answer an existential question: Die or reinvent?Abercrombie & Fitch has attempted the latter.The popular mall destination — once famous for drawing in shoppers by stationing Adonis-like men at its front doors — has seen an uptick in the past few years thanks to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-rekindling-their-love-abercrombie-fitch-2024-1">millennials who have reconnected with the apparel brand</a>.The American clothing brand's most notable transformation in recent years began as sales dipped throughout the 2010s.It <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/abercrombie-is-making-3-drastic-changes-2014-8">ditched its "nightclub" aesthetic</a> by turning down the music and up the lights. It also began phasing out having logos prominently featured on nearly every piece of its clothing.The reinvention eventually paid off. In late 2023, <a target="_blank" class href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/nvidia-stock-market-abercrombie-fitch-retailer-clothing-investors-earnings-finance-2023-11">Abercrombie & Fitch saw massive success</a> — sales had increased and its stock was up by more than 210%.Although the models-turned-greeters have since been scrapped from Abercrombie's structure, a commitment to being "cool" remains.But while visiting one of the brand's physical locations, I discovered that its definition of "cool" is, well, pretty boring.

I don't have fond memories of the brand from when I was a kid.

Abercrombie & Fitch used to have shopping bags with shirtless models. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

The famous black-and-white storefront looked the same as I remembered it.

Abercrombie & Fitch still had its classic logo out front. Gianluca Russo

This was one of the most organized fashion retailers I've been to in a long time.

The Abercrombie location I visited was extremely organized. Gianluca Russo

Beach vibes filled every corner of the store.

Framed photos of waves could be found around the store. Gianluca Russo

A small part of the menswear section had playful pops of color.

Some of the menswear at Abercrombie had fun prints and colors. Gianluca Russo

The pants were incredibly well-organized but missing a few sizes.

Abercrombie's pant selection was organized well but lacking in some areas. Gianluca Russo

Graphic tees still seemed to be very big for the brand.

Abercrombie had shelves and racks of graphic T-shirts. Gianluca Russo

The dressing rooms didn't inspire much confidence.

I wasn't a huge fan of the Abercrombie dressing rooms. Gianluca Russo

I found the menswear I tried to fit well and the sizing to be straightforward.

The pants and shirts I tried on fit me well. Gianluca Russo

I felt a lot of the items had prices I had to think twice about.

I wasn't sure about the pricing on some of the items I tried on. Gianluca Russo

My verdict? Abercrombie is much cooler than it used to be, but I'm not sure it's won me over.

I could see myself going back to Abercrombie for some basics but the menswear selection was very neutral-heavy. Gianluca Russo

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