Important programming notes:
Less than ONE WEEK until The Simple Year (2) begins. Make sure you stop by next week to read about Kandice and her upper middle class family as they will redefine “living the American dream”. Over the next year, they will document shedding their swank neighborhood and all the social and material trappings that go along with it in order to live a more “meaningful life”.
Also, I’d like to offer congrats to azgirlstephanie who I drew out of the hat (actually a soup bowl) to win the used book giveaway.
One Year + 20 Days
The CEO at Abercrombie & Fitch did an interview in 2006 and somehow, through the great mystery that is the internet, some comments he made about wanting to sell to only the “cool slender kids” or some other post martini lunch banter, went viral last week. I noticed a smattering of social media outrage at the time, but a gourdhead CEO being a jackass really isn’t news to me. Plus, I don’t shop there, nor am I ever likely to, so I didn’t really care.
But then today, I happened to notice a clever little viral video in which the film maker, Greg Karber combed the local thrift stores “douchebag section” for Abercrombie clothes to donate to the homeless in an attempt to “rebrand” the product.
It was funny, and on one hand, I suppose he was calling attention to the plight of the homeless and their lack of skinny jeans manufactured in Bangladesh. And, I am a huge fan of finding new life for cast off items.
But, on the other hand, it seems to me that Garber might be doing the same thing that he is vilifying the retailer for. Isn’t there some sort of implication that since the homeless are the very antithesis of “the cool kids” that by suddenly being clothed en masse in the initials A & F, the retailer will “get theirs”?
So, let’s review. Garber thinks Abercrombie & Fitch is a horrible company because, among other things, they are judging a group by their looks or their situation. Yet, he is using the homeless as a group to drive his point home.
Isn’t there some story about a pot and a kettle that applies here?
But, I do think Garber is on the right track with his idea about shopping at charitable thrift stores. I feel like by shopping there, in lieu of the local mall, I am not only taking the environmental high road, but I’m also ultimately helping a demographic that needs it. I love a win-win.
If you haven’t seen this viral video about regifting to the homeless, you can check it out here.
I posted this video on our FB page this morning, but the same thought crossed my mind afterwards. It is a clever idea, but I feel it takes advantage of the disadvantaged. It makes me a little uneasy, too.
I am so excited to meet Simple Year Two! Hooray.
I had similar thoughts when I saw that. Granted, I didn’t go too deep. Flash doesn’t like my computer, so I haven’t been able to watch videos for about a month now. I also don’t care for that type of brand, and the only thing that shocked me about the CEO being a jackass was that he was publicly one. Not the best idea during the age of social media. I get what Garber was trying to do, but he didn’t do it very well. I guess it will be kind of entertaining to see how many A&F items will be in stock during my next thrift store visit, though.
This crossed my mind – so the homeless AREN’T the cool kids? Having homeless people wear a brand of clothes will damage the brand? The big picture, though, is a good and positive one, so I let it go. He’s giving free, used clothing to people who can use it. Fine by me. Also, there’s a bit about showing that the clothes are available to all that is a bit of a lesson there, no?
I’ve enjoyed following your journey over the past year, and I look forward to reading along of this new family.