Abercrombie and Fitch Cologne

So where did it begin?
When four friends set up PurelyforYou Limited in 2005, little did they know where this would lead. PurelyforYou focused on supplying a range of Natural Health and Beauty products from around the globe and there are currently over 250 different Health and Beauty products in their range.

Procurement of many of the products demanded significant travel both in Europe and in the USA. Whilst in New York City, not surprisingly, much time was spent savouring the atmosphere and enjoying the shops. It was on one such trip in Summer 2005 that we discovered the pleasure of Abercrombie and Fitch, and in particular, their great range of Cologne. Anyone who has had the pleasure of visiting their stores will immediately recall the fragrance that hits you as you enter. 'Fierce', their signature scent is unmistakably Abercrombie and Fitch.

Back in Manchester it became a big hit in the office and in no time at all, orders were flowing in from staff wanting their own supply. It was just a matter of time before this became a commercial venture and after much research, a few more trips to the USA and plenty of shopping on Fifth Avenue, two of the PurelyforYou team branched out to set up purelyforyou.co.uk.

Purelyforyou.co.uk has plans for expansion and look forward to supplying the full range of Abercrombie and Fitch Cologne.

Abercrombie & Fitch was established in 1892 and began trading as suppliers of outdoor wear. In the main it continued selling in this marketplace for 100 years and it was only in 1992 that it repositioned itself as a retailer of casual clothing and accessories. 'Luxury casual' is the focus.

One of the most striking of all the accessories is the wonderful selection of Colognes and perfumes. Abercrombie & Fitch carries men's fragrances of which the most popular is their signature scent, Fierce Cologne. This is the very distinctive smell which hits customers as soon as they walk in the store. Other men's fragrances include 41 and Colden. Women's fragrances include 8, Perfume 41, Wakely, and Classic.

From relatively humble beginnings has evolved one of the worlds leading brands, synonymous with the lifestyle that almost every young man and woman who frequent the store, wish to embrace. The company now operates over 300 stores, mainly in the USA although their collection has become so popular, stores have opened in London, Tokyo and more recently in Milan, a place many consider to be the home of fashion.

It isn't just clothing and it isn't just accessories, it really is a lifestyle. Abercombie's use of employees to front marketing campaigns has ensured that the brand stands out from many of its competitors. The photographs of attractive young men and women are on display in the stores, on the packaging material and occasionally on billboards. Those fortunate enough to have appeared in the campaigns have enjoyed almost celebrity status. And from the customers' point of view, being seen walking out of a shopping centre with Abercrombie and Fitch shopping bags says plenty about you!

Back in 1892, David T. Abercrombie Co., was a small waterfront shop and factory in downtown New York City. David Abercrombie, born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland was a former trapper, prospector, topographer and railroad surveyor. He was also an inventor, an ingenious designer of tents, rucksacks and other camping equipment. It was his love of the outdoors that inspired him to begin Abercrombie & Co., a shop dedicated to selling only the highest-quality camping, fishing and hunting gear. His clientele consisted mostly of professional hunters, explorers and trappers.

One such customer was Ezra Fitch, a successful lawyer in Kingston, New York. He'd reached the point where he had become thoroughly bored with his life in the legal profession. He spent a significant amount of his free time trekking the slopes of the Adirondacks and casting flies into the streams of the Catskill mountains. As a lover of the great outdoors, it was hardly surprising that he was a regular customer of Abercrombie and Co., from where he used to purchase the high quality outdoor wear for which Abercrombie and Co. had established its enviable reputation. Ezra Fitch then, was one of their most loyal customers. So devoted was he, that in 1900 he had convinced David Abercrombie to let him invest in the business and become a partner. By 1904, the shop (which by now had moved to 314 Broadway) was incorporated and the name was officially changed to Abercrombie & Fitch.

Both David Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch were stubborn men with strong opinions, and their views about the future of the business differed greatly: David Abercrombie was more cautious and happy for the store to remain as it was, focusing on the sales of equipment to professional outdoorsmen. Ezra Fitch however, had much greater things in mind. He was sure that the future of the business lay in expansion. There were many arguments between the two men and not surprisingly the partnership came to an end, and David Abercrombie resigned in 1907.

Meanwhile, under the helm of Ezra Fitch, the store continued to expand. He was a determined man and a great innovator and he wanted the shop to differ from most shops of the time. He wanted customers to 'feel' the great outdoors when they were in the store. Stock was not hidden behind glass cabinets but was displayed almost as if it was in use. Tents and equipment were set up exactly as they might be out in the middle of the wilds. A campfire blazed in one corner and an experienced guide was always on hand to provide useful information to interested customers.

The clerks hired at A&F were not professional salesmen who knew little about their products. They were rugged men who had a love for the outdoors and an enthusiasm for talking about that kind of lifestyle. Selling almost became secondary to engaging customers in conversation about places they'd been to and the life they'd lived in the great outdoors. Of course, this energy and enthusiasm was infectious, sales continued to grow and the store became known as a centre not just for supplies but for great advice. By 1913, the store moved to a more fashionable and easily accessible midtown address just off Fifth Avenue, expanding its inventory to include sport clothing. A&F became the first store in New York to supply such clothing to women as well as to men.

Shortly after Abercrombie resigned from the company, A&F began publishing a catalogue. This featured over 450 pages of outdoor equipment and clothing and offered advice on camping, hunting and fishing to over 50,000 potential customers around the world. Not surprisingly orders began to pour in, bringing international status to the store.

By 1917, Abercrombie & Fitch moved to Madison Avenue and 45th Street, where it occupied an entire twelve story building. Outside, a sign boasted "Where the Blazed Trail Crosses the Boulevard." Abercrombie & Fitch had now become the largest sporting goods store in the world, as well as the most impressive. A log cabin was built on the roof, which Ezra Fitch used as a townhouse. Next to it he had a casting pool installed, where fishermen could sample the store's great collection of rods and flies. In the basement, an armoured rifle range was built. There was also a golf school, a floor dedicated solely to completely set-up camps, and a dog and cat kennel. In addition to the more standard types of outdoor goods, A&F had a selection of exotic sporting equipment like hot air balloons, yachting pennants, portable trampolines and treadmills for exercising dogs.

Abercrombie & Fitch kitted out many of the great hunting and exploration expeditions, like Theodore Roosevelt's trips to Africa and the Amazon and Robert Peary's expedition to the North Pole. Ernest Hemingway bought some of his guns there. President Hoover and President Eisenhower both relied upon A&F for their fishing equipment. There were many other famous clients including President Kennedy, the Duke of Windsor, Bing Crosby, Howard Hughes, Katharine Hepburn, Greta Garbo and Clark Gable. Cole Porter ordered his evening clothes from Abercrombie & Fitch. During Prohibition, A&F was the place to go to buy hip flasks.

Ezra Fitch finally retired from the business in 1928 to follow his own passion of the great outdoors. Abercrombie & Fitch continued to grow and opened stores in Chicago and San Francisco. But by the late 1960s the business was struggling to survive and it eventually went bankrupt in 1977. The company was bought by Oshman's Sporting Goods, based in Houston, Texas but it wasn't until The Limited Inc. bought Abercrombie & Fitch in 1988 that it began to bear any resemblance to the incredibly popular business it is today. Under the auspices of its strong management team, Abercrombie & Fitch has now become a powerful lifestyle brand. The stores sit on some of the most prestigious streets in the World, alongside the likes of Prada. Today the New York store is located on Fifth Avenue and of course the London Store would just have to be on Saville Row. The Champs Elysées in Paris? Watch this space!

Steve M Callaghan.