Mike Jeffries, the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, caused outrage recently when controversial comments that he made in 2006 about “larger people” shopping in his store went viral.
Jeffries said that his brand was solely for “cool and popular kids” and that certain people who are larger “don’t belong” in his clothes.
“Are we exclusionary? Absolutely,” said Jeffries.
Despite the fact that his comments cause a veritable sh*tstorm online, Jeffries has refused to apologise for them.
Now, a woman named Jes, has written an open letter to the CEO regarding his comments and included some pictures of herself posing with an Abercrombie-type model.
Jes, who is behind the blog The Militant Baker, has become an online celebrity in her own right as her pictures (and letter) have been shared numerous times.
You can read Jes’ letter in full by clicking here, but here are a few quotes from it.
“The only thing you’ve done through your comments (about thin being beautiful and only offering XL and XXL in your stores for men) is reinforce the unoriginal concept that fat women are social failures, valueless, and undesirable.”
Image via The Militant Baker
“Well, actually, that’s not all you have done. You have also created an incredible opportunity for social change.”
Image via The Militant Baker
“Never in our culture do we see sexy phto shoots that pair short, fat, unconventional models with not short, not fat, professional models. To put it in your words: ‘unpopular kids’ with ‘cool kids.’”
Image via The Militant Baker
“I was inspired by the opportunity to show that I am secure in my skin and to flaunt this by using the controversial platform that you created.”
Jes says that she hopes the combination of contrasting bodies in her pictures will soon “be as ubiquitous as the socially accepted ideal.”
