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Ottawa Sun
May 28, 2002
Parents beware -- Abercrombie & Fitch has
been snooping around Toronto for retail space.
By: Earl McRae
The famous American clothing chain wants to bring its line to Canada.
That would include its catalogue that's been under fierce attack for years from consumer groups and lawmakers who've labelled it "pornography," particularly in its
preying on children.
I don't know if Michael Jeffries, 56, chairman and CEO of A&F, has small daughters between the ages of 10 and 14, but if he does, presumably he encourages them to wear the
new, small, sexy, tight, butt-revealing thong panties his stores are delighted to sell for their age group, and which has A&F under heated public attack yet again.
You know -- the thongs promoted by such innocent slogans as "wink, wink" and "eye candy."
Since Michael Jeffries has no problem selling these thongs for girls as young as 10, we can conclude he'd have no problem with a daughter that age of his own wearing them, or
having her reveal them in class for "Show And Tell." Be a sin to miss a promotion, eh Mr. Jeffries?
A question, Mr. Jeffries: Do you wear small, sexy, tight, butt-revealing thongs, too?
If you do, is it because they are so comfortable to wear, Mr. Jeffries?
I mean, you wouldn't wear them because, God forbid, you think you look sexy in them, right?
And we just know there was not a whiff of sexual seductiveness that went into the marketing of those "wink, wink" and "eye candy" thongs for the little girls
and their little butts, right Mr. Jeffries? It's all about blandness and comfort, right?
Or do I have it wrong? Is it that you know what most parents don't -- that you can't start the little 10- to 14-year-old tramps on the road to sexiness and sexual awakening soon
enough.
SO-CALLED 'PARENTS
Is it that you know there are so-called "parents" out there who actually think it's cute and adorable and see nothing wrong in the sexy little cloth strips for the
children unfortunate to have them as parents?
Are you going to trot out your statement of a few months back when A&F got lambasted for its catalogues that showed -- in the name of selling clothes to the young -- images of
a sado-masochistic Santa Claus and elves, interviews with porn stars about their techniques, male and female nudity, dirty sexual advice columns, and, in a back-to-school issue, photos of topless girls
dancing on tables for the boys in a math class?
You said: "I pay so little attention to the critics who feel little kids should be locked away in boxes until they're 50."
HARD LEARNER
I prefer the shot you got back from Sandy Rios, president of Concerned Women For America: "We don't feel kids should be locked away in boxes until they're 50, but perhaps
publishers who want to publish magazines that teach them how to have sex with the elderly should be."
But, I guess you're one hard learner. It was under your reign that A&F got charged by the Federal Trade Commission for selling mislabelled clothes over the Internet; had to
yank one of its catalogues for promoting alcoholic recipes; was sued for using unauthorized names and licences; and was sued by the state of Michigan for selling a sexually explicit catalogue to minors.
Let's end with a portion of one of the many outraged letters you've received from the public, this one from Joe Gibbs, former coach of the Washington Redskins, NFL Hall Of Famer:
"I am appalled at your efforts to market clothing by using sexually suggestive photographs and an obvious promotion of gratuitous sexual behaviour and promiscuity. I think
most Americans would consider these images to be pornographic in nature.
"The idea that (you) approved a campaign that distributes these sexually suggestive images to make a profit is, in my opinion, as low as you can go. Do you allow your own
children to view these images? I'm embarrassed by your efforts. I will make it a personal goal to speak about your company. I can only hope that you will see your profits decline ..."
Mr. Jeffries? Do us a favour. Stay south of the border.
Earl McRae can be reached at (613) 739-5133, ext. 469 or emailed at earl.mcrae@ott.sunpub.com.
Letters to the editor should be sent to oped@sunpub.com.
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