Abercrombie Launches Pseudo Gender-Neutral Children’s Clothing Line

You may remember Abercrombie & Fitch as the early 2000s teen clothing store that took on the décor motif of a gay club’s backroom complete with shirtless greeters or as the brand of choice for the cast of The Jersey Shore. But since former CEO Mike Jeffries’ problematic comments about the store’s clientele, they’ve taken on a rebrand that’s finally starting to catch on.

Coming from a brand that used to epitomize homogeny back when I was in middle school and high school, @Abercrombie‘s new gender-neutral clothing line for kids is everything: https://t.co/uRwc7h04K7. Maybe H&M can learn something | #Diversity #Inclusion #Freedom pic.twitter.com/5c0TSrxhKn

— Shana Pilewski (@shangraela) January 18, 2018

The most recent addition to the retail giant is a gender-neutral children’s clothing line, dubbed Everybody. The line offers a range of products from hoodies to tees to sandals, priced from $19.95 to $69.95. It features some items in tie-dye and camo, as well as the popular Abercrombie moose insignia.

“For every kind of kid,” the site for the Everybody collection reads. “Boys and girls, tall or small, aspiring scientists or athletes styles for all!”

The brand has obviously received backlash from some right wing trolls for attempting to do away with the gender binary. But they’ve also received some criticism from the left.

How is this a headline? I’ve been releasing “unisex” clothes for 7 years now. Clothes are clothes, wear whatever you want 👐🏼 https://t.co/6RKUKcwNaD

— SLiME DADDY (@FRONZ1LLA) January 19, 2018

Although it’s a step in the right direction for a brand that’s long encouraged a sense of toxic masculinity with its homoerotic creative direction, many people are not here for their definition of gender-neutral. Particularly, its lack of feminine perceived items contributes to a long-held misconception that only traditionally masculine clothing can be considered gender-neutral. With no skirts or dresses in the line, the most feminine aspect is that some items come in pink.

See the Everybody collection at Abercrombie & Fitch.