I Like Wikipedia Articles that Mention Abercrombie & Fitch
The February 17 print edition of New York Magazine contains a profile of the notorious, once all-conquering, now-struggling mall-based U.S. clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch, with particular focus on its longtime CEO, Mike Jeffries, now under fire as the company's fortunes have declined.
Besides the company's controversial public image—once cultivated and considered an asset, now perceived as turning into a serious liability—the article discusses its origins in the 19th century as a supplier of supplies for Most Interesting Men in the World, followed by a long mid-century decline, and then late-century emergence as a major apparel and pop culture force. It's an interesting business profile as far as that goes, and largely an unflattering one. But it's the very last paragraph that stuck with me, for reasons to become apparent shortly:
“I guarantee you, we’re already to the point where that resurgence in the nineties is a Wikipedia talking point,” says [industry observer Brian] Sozzi. “What we’ll remember Jeffries for now is for failing to change, for all the store closures, for the way employees were treated. And that’s unfortunate.”
Nothing major here, I just find it amusing that "a Wikipedia talking point" is how the interviewee chose to describe the company's onetime glory—at one time the most salient fact of its existence—is described in relation to how it is depicted on Wikipedia.
I am also amused by the notion that Wikipedia has "talking points", although I realize the term is used casually. The fact that Mr. Sozzi almost certainly used the phrase without deep consideration of how Wikipedia may have something to suggest about how the public views the information Wikipedia makes available, although I realize it may only suggest something about how Mr. Sozzi views Wikipedia.
Let's do the obvious thing, and see what Wikipedia has to say (as of mid-February, 2014). From the History section:
In 1976, Abercrombie & Fitch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, finally closing its flagship Manhattan store in 1977.[6] The name was revived shortly thereafter, when in 1978, Oshman's Sporting Goods, a Houston-based chain, bought the defunct firm's name and mailing list for $1.5 million[7] ... Finally, in 1988, Oshman's sold the company name and operations to The Limited, a clothing-chain operator based in Columbus, Ohio.[9]
The current version of A&F sells mostly clothes for the youth market, and describes its retailing niche as an aspirational "Casual Luxury" lifestyle brand.[10]
Especially since 1997, the company has consistently kept a high-profile in the public eye, due to its advertising, its philanthropy, and its involvement in legal conflicts over branding, clothing style and employment practices.
Interesting that, while it is consistent with Mr. Sozzi's description, this is actually not a detail in Wikipedia—let alone a talking point.