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Abercrombie & Fitch

American

Abercrombie & Fitch — a brand that spans over one hundred years — was initially famed for its wide variety of expensive sporting equipment and attire. It was said it carried everything from “exercise balls to elephant guns.” The company started as an outdoorsman and hunting store in the late 19th century before transforming into the clothing mecca for teens in the 1990s and early 2000s.

In New York in 1892, David T. Abercrombie — a former miner, trapper and railroad surveyor — opened the Abercrombie Company as a sporting goods and camping equipment store. Ezra Fitch — a wealthy lawyer, real estate developer and one of Ambercrombie’s best customers — became a partner in the company in 1900. In 1904, the company was incorporated and renamed "Abercrombie & Fitch Co." Fitch bought Abercrombie's share of the business and became the sole owner from 1907 to 1928. 

Fitch anticipated a clientele far broader than merely those who had to camp to earn a living. Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) became the go-to retailer when the wealthy planned safaris and other international excursions.

While it’s true that military style by now has truly invaded fashion, A&F is credited with bringing the safari suit, a hunting outfit based on British colonial military uniforms, to the urban consumer. For more than half a century, their goods were the image of correctness and opulence — inspiring a humorist to mock a perfectly-outfitted, affluent fisherman as an “Abercrombie and Fitcherman.” Fitch retired in 1928, selling his interest in the company to his brother-in-law, James S. Cobb.

By 1939 A&F was touted as the greatest sporting goods store in the world. During A&F’s peak, its customers included Ernest Hemingway and Teddy Roosevelt. The company outfitted the polar expeditions led by Roald Amundsen and Admiral Richard Byrd and provided equipment to the famed aviators Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.

Hard times fell on A&F in the 1970s, but the brand pivoted and emerged as a trendy clothing chain for teens and young adults in the '80s and '90s. Whenever it expanded during its heyday, the company confined its new stores to downtown areas of large cities and luxury-destination hotel stores. The company then attempted to widen its customer base by moving into the suburbs and adding less-expensive items to its usual stock. 

For fashion lovers, the 1990s have become associated with styles adopted by today’s supermodels and influencers, and today’s enthusiasts of the era’s aesthetic don’t have to look much further than to vintage Abercrombie & Fitch to get their fix.

On 1stDibs, find Abercrombie & Fitch coats, jackets, vintage leather goods and more.

Average Sold Price
$3,018
Styles
Related Creators
Abercrombie & Fitch Clock Art Deco Rear View Mirror Style 1930's
By Abercrombie & Fitch
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Abercrombie & Fitch STYLE / REFERENCE: Rear View Mirror Desk Clock METAL / MATERIAL: Wood, Metal and Glass CIRCA / YEAR: 1930's DIMENSIONS: 6 Inches Long X 3 Inche...
Category

1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Abercrombie & Fitch

Abercrombie & Fitch Stainless Steel 1 Button Chronograph Watch, 1930s
By Abercrombie & Fitch
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Abercrombie & Fitch STYLE / REFERENCE: 1 Button Chronograph METAL / MATERIAL: Stainless Steel and Chromium DIMENSIONS: Length 36mm X Diameter 30mm CIRCA: 1930's MOVEMENT / CALIBER: Manual Winding / 15 Jewels / Cal. 11 1/2 Lignes DIAL / HANDS: Original Kiln Fired Enamel / Blued Steel Breguet Style Hands ATTACHMENT / LENGTH: Original Leather / Regular Length WARRANTY: 18 months on the movement. LIFETIME SERVICE COMMITMENT It is rare that I get a vintage watch...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Abercrombie & Fitch

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Abercrombie & Fitch jewelry & watches for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a range of Abercrombie & Fitch jewelry & watches available on 1stDibs. We have 1 pieces in this collection as well as a number of other designs by this jeweler. While this collection reflects work that originated over various time periods, most of these items were designed during the 1930s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider jewelry & watches by Hamilton, Howard, and Hampden Watch Company. Prices for Abercrombie & Fitch jewelry & watches can differ depending upon gemstone, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $4,400 and tops out at $4,400, while pieces like these, on average, can sell for $4,400.

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