Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly Catalog collection, 1997-2007
Navigate the Collection
Summary
- Creator:
- Abercrombie & Fitch
- Abstract:
- Abercrombie and Fitch was founded in 1892 as a sporting goods supplier and expedition outfitter. It currently specializes in upscale sportswear aimed at children and young adults. The Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly Catalog Collection consists of a run of lifestyle-oriented clothing catalogs issued between 1997 and 2007. The catalog featured articles on a wide range of youth popular culture and lifestyle topics, along with numerous photographs by Bruce Weber. Articles included advice, music and movie reviews, and profiles and interviews with celebrities and cultural critics such as philosopher Slavoj Žižek. The Creative Director for the catalog series was Sam Shahid, who had previously worked in the in-house advertising agencies for Calvin Klein and Banana Republic. After 2003, the lifestyle content and controversial photography was scaled back to focus more narrowly on seasonal fashion.
- Extent:
- 3 Linear Feet
34 Items - Language:
- Material in English
- Collection ID:
- RL.00007
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly Catalog Collection consists of a run of lifestyle-oriented clothing catalogs issued between 1997 and 2007. The catalog featured articles on a wide range of youth popular culture and lifestyle topics, along with numerous photographs by Bruce Weber. Articles included advice, music and movie reviews, and profiles and interviews with celebrities and cultural critics such as philosopher Slavoj Žižek. The Creative Director for the catalog series was Sam Shahid, who had previously worked in the in-house advertising agencies for Calvin Klein and Banana Republic. After 2003, the lifestyle content and controversial photography was scaled back to focus more narrowly on seasonal fashion.
The collection is arranged chronologically by issue
- Biographical / historical:
-
Abercrombie & Fitch Historical Timeline
Chronology List Date Event 1892 David T. Abercrombie founded a sporting goods store in his name in New York, N.Y.1900 Ezra H. Fitch became partner in the David T. Abercrombie Co.1904 Store incorporated as Abercrombie & Fitch1907 Abercrombie resigned; Fitch took over management of the store but kept the name1909 First mail-order catalogs distributed, in a run of 50,0001910 Sportswear for women introduced1928 Fitch retired; James S. Cobb named as PresidentCirca 1929 Sporting goods company Von Langerke & Detmold (known in Chicago as Von Langerke & Antoine) purchased1930 Griffin & Howe, a New York gun shop, purchased1961 John H. Ewing named as President1968 First warehouse sale conducted1970 William Humphries named as President1976 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed1977 Abercrombie & Fitch stores closed1978 Abercrombie & Fitch name bought by Oshman's Sporting Goods1979 Beverly Hills store opened, specializing in sportswear and fitness equipment1988 25 of 27 stores purchased by The Limited, Inc.; focus on apparel1992 Marketing shifted focus toward upscale youth1997 Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly catalog debut1998 Abercrombie & Fitch spun off as an independent entity2003 Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly catalog ceased publicationUpon the demise of the Quarterly in 2003, Abercrombie & Fitch continued to issue seasonal catalogs, but the lifestyle content was largely replaced by fashion photography.
- Acquisition information:
- The Abercrombie Fitch Quarterly Catalog Collection were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift from John Taormina in 2008.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Richard Collier, January 2008
Encoded by Richard Collier, January 2008
Accession 2008-0005 is described in this finding aid.
- Physical location:
- For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.
- Subjects:
- Target marketing -- United States
Advertising and youth -- United States -- History -- 21st century
Advertising and youth -- United States -- History -- 20th century
Advertising, Direct-mail -- United States
Mail-order business
Commercial catalogs
Popular culture -- United States
Popular culture -- United States -- 20th century
Popular culture -- United States -- 21st century
Fashion -- Social aspects -- United States -- 21st century
Fashion -- Social aspects -- United States -- 20th century
Fashion photography
Direct marketing
Advertising -- Clothing and dress
Advertising -- Brand name products
Advertising and youth -- United States - Format:
- Mail order catalogs
Trade catalogs - Names:
- Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch
John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
Weber, Bruce, 1946-
Žižek, Slavoj -- Interviews - Places:
- United States -- Social life and customs -- 21st century
United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
Contents
Using These Materials
- Using These Materials Links:
-
Using These Materials
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.
All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. There may be a 48-hour delay in obtaining these materials.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rubenstein Library to use this collection.
- Terms of access:
-
The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
- Before you visit:
- Please consult our up-to-date information for visitors page, as our services and guidelines periodically change.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly Catalog Collection, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.