Photo: Courtesy of Abercrombie & Fitch.Moose hunting season is just kicking off nationally (hey-o my Midwestern readers!), but it seems that the antlered bull is being targetted outside of the forest, too. After a sprint of rebranding exercises starting with its "nicefication" marketing campaign that started this summer, Abercrombie announced that it would also remove all logo-branded merchandise from its North American stores by this time next year. Moose you already!
While conspicuous logos are on the rise on the runway (from a Calvin Klein throwback to a laser-cut logo print at Alexander Wang), it's obvious to anyone who avoids Canal Street at all costs that there are some labels you don't want on the front of your shirt, or bag, or butt pocket. Blame it on over-saturation or one too many negative associations (French manicured toes, Kate Gosselin hair), but among the brands that have achieved household-name status, labels are becoming a drawback rather than a feature. WWD reports that designers like Gucci and Coach have begun actively peeling back their use of those Cs and Gs on their products, and mall brands have seen this choice echoed in consumer behavior.
Internationally, the Abercrombie moose logo will still be in stores (so rest assured, you can always pop over to Times Square if you miss seeing the little guy), but, as Jonathan Ramsden, Abercrombie's COO told WWD of American consumers, "They are [no longer] walking billboards."
It's been a summer of rapid-fire changes for the brand. In the three short months since we first caught wind that Abercrombie was planning to overhaul its image, the brand's implemented a number of big-deal evolutions, including introducing black clothing for the first time, ditching its "models-only" staffing policy, and finding actually cool celebrity opportunities for promotion. With the removal of logos, Abercrombie's razing is nearly complete. But, what will become of what's left, the remnants that now feel as one-of-a-kind as the original? (WWD)