Through first-hand experience, Asians who like sporting over-priced brand names tend to go for A&F, Hollister, or AE. Take a minute and think about your wardrobe - do you own at least one article of these clothing brands?
Try walking into one of these stores especially during Holiday sales, and you’ll see Asians swarming everywhere - trying on clothes left and right. What’s behind this beachy, white-washed clothing trend that continues to gain precedence day after day? It has even outlasted the Roxy, Hurley, Billabong, and Volcom craze. At this moment, you’ll probably find more Asian teens (especially in high school working part-time jobs) buying clothes from these brands.
Here are some social reasons. Many kids wear it at school, so you might want to try out the trend as well. The media or celebrities can set the trend. These brands are also not cheap, so the middle class Asian would have to go out of his or her way to intentionally buy and wear these brands. Back then, not every parent could afford these brands for their kids, so the kids who wore them might have believed themselves unique, special, or part of a higher class.
In fact, Marker of Affluence is one of the cases where brands have succeeded among American youth. Remember those $2.95 jelly sandal days in the 90s? One popular girl walks in with them, and the next day, 10 more girls must have them, and the next day, almost the entire school is begging their parents to buy them the newest trend. They came in pink, lilac, clear, and glitter.
A&F, Hollister, and AE’s availability and presence in almost all big malls play another role in rubbing onto not just White and Asian people but people of all races. Even if an Asian does not want to follow the trend, they might be tempted or curious to enter these stores to go bargain hunting.
Size is a also a big deal. These stores are not your Old Navy or Gap where clothes fit the average person. These sizes are made for extra-skinny people. This means that Asian people might be able to find sizes that will fit their usually petite bodies and smaller frames. Aside from the fitting style, some Asians simply just like the look. Remember, not all Asians fall for for these trends and would pay for cheaper clothing that still looks good and fits more with their personal style.
You may have forgotten, but there was once a huge controversy in 2002 when Abercrombie & Fitch came out with T-shirts featuring Asians with slanted-eyes, rice-paddy hats caricatures, and stereotypical phrases. With a long history of these images provoking negative stereotypes about Asians, these T-shirts angered many people and were immediately pulled off shelves. Ironically, Hollister has nothing to do with the mainly agricultural city named Hollister. It began in Ohio and was inspired by the Southern California laid-back, surfer lifestyle.
Remember that AC Boy and AC Girl are simply part of a cultural series of characters that represent and highlights different Asian ethnicities, clothing, and customs and by no means related to or endorsing the negative stereotypes of the past.
Source:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2002/04/18/MN109646.DTL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Peril
http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=2994
Last 5 posts by Justin
- #70 Nice Guys - May 1st, 2008
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27 responses so far ↓
1 Rebecca // Aug 18, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I am completely unconvinced by this entry.
2 Eric // Aug 18, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Am I the only one that found those A/F shirts funny? You’re all way too offended over these little things.
3 Justin // Aug 18, 2008 at 10:32 pm
@rebecca, you’re not supposed to be convinced to like these clothing lines. the satire is that there is weak and even unreasonable causes for Asians to wear these brands. too many people wear them - it’s lost the uniqueness factor. in fact many asians are starting to hate wearing them now.
@eric, im with you in that people get over offended nowadays but (i dont find them funny or offensive), im just stating the history of abercrombie and asians.
4 YASPy Chick // Aug 19, 2008 at 5:56 am
A gentle reminder that “petite” doesn’t mean skinny frame, but under 5′4″. Also, Hollister, AE and A&F isn’t “true prep.”
5 YASPy Chick // Aug 19, 2008 at 5:58 am
^^^
One more thing: I think Asians have been obsessed with these brands for a while now. My cousin, who is in his early 20s wore A&F some three years ago. Before these brands were the craze, Asians were wearing Banana Republic and Club Monaco (many older ones, as in 25+ still do, especially Banana Republic, since they make petite sizes.)
Should add: To find out more about what petite really means, please visit my other site - http://blog.shorty-stories.com
6 Toby // Aug 19, 2008 at 8:36 am
Really? Maybe it’s an american thing, b/c not too many asians wear those labels here. Or maybe I am too old to notice what the youth are wearing now.
7 YASPy Chick // Aug 19, 2008 at 9:38 am
Toby, where’s “here”?
8 Toby // Aug 19, 2008 at 10:30 am
Oops, Toronto, Markham and surrounding area.
9 j // Aug 19, 2008 at 10:50 am
This article is weak. Asians like to dress mainstream? Asians flock to Abercrombie, Hollister, and AE, really? I haven’t seen that. Try Armani Exchange or Bebe. Specifically mentioning these brands does not truly reflect the fact that Asians prefer branded items.
10 YASPy Chick // Aug 19, 2008 at 10:59 am
Toby,
I kind of agree. I don’t see as many Asians wearing AE, A&F and Hollister, but many more wear higher end brands. Or, if they don’t buy that, they do JCY (or however you spell it) Then again, I don’t know too many Asians below the age of 25.
11 maggie // Aug 19, 2008 at 11:02 am
i dont know…
a lot of asians around here wear abercrombie, hollister, and ae.
but hey…were in one of those rich prissy neighborhoods…
i personally dont find the giant fascination with people and like $25 shirts that you could get for like $15 somewhere else and without the giant billboard of a name across the front.
12 Toby // Aug 19, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I think most asians like the higher end designer labels, like LV, Gucci, burberry, and for those who can’t afford the aforementioned, Coach.
A&F, ae and hollister are more california casual (think the OC) and maybe that’s why I haven’t seen a lot of it here in T.O. (and the east coast too?) Asians like to show off labels and their style and a cotton-t and khakis does not do that.
13 Eric // Aug 19, 2008 at 2:29 pm
haha i’m in the midwest and i wear those brands… I dunno, I just like the laid back casual look of almost wrecked khaki shorts and t shirts or sometimes a good polo.
I agree asians like name branded stuff. For example, luxury cars and expensive electronics. We’ve had two HDTVs before HD was even mainstream….so we can apparently impress other people.
14 Dan` // Aug 22, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Haha this site is pretty funny. If you want some contrast try Howwhitepeoplegethurt.typepad.com. It kind of busts on white people and the lame ways they end up hurting themselves.
15 craziforsythia // Aug 26, 2008 at 8:39 pm
most asian teens i know do shop at abercrombie, hollister, american eagle and other trendy laid-back casual prep-ish stores they’re churning up nowadays. But then again, all the trendy teens in my area wear this stuff, and i think the older asians wear more buisiness-casual clothing instead. Personally, i don’t go for the $45-a-polo deal because i can’t afford it. Many shops make smaller “petit” sizes nowadays.
But these brands are apparently all the rage in asia. At least, that’s what my cousin told me last summer when I asked him what he wanted from here. Esp American Eagle because the word “American” is in there…
16 SMK // Aug 27, 2008 at 12:54 am
Toby, I will have to disagree with your post about asians liking the high-end stuff. I live near downtown Toronto and lots of asians here do wear Hollister and A&F simply because those stores are more accessible to us down here than say.. Markham. Also it is mainly the HK people who like Gucci, Burberry and the like; lots of those in Markham so I can see where you’re coming from.
17 Kathy // Aug 29, 2008 at 11:27 pm
I didnt know that A&F made those t-shirts about asians..whoa! well, I have to say that I quit buying A&F when I learned that it takes 25 cents for them to a polo and they charge like 40 bucks for it.
oh yeah, their customer service is horrible.
on a side note- o crap, i totally fforgot about those jelly shoes! i use to own one when i was a little girl. I remember them being REALLY uncomfortable.
18 hollister california // Sep 5, 2008 at 10:10 am
[…] […]
19 fromthe808 // Sep 8, 2008 at 2:29 pm
im asian, and i think those shirts are funny. people take things too seriously. if you’re one of them, these blogs are NOT for you. if you cant laugh at yourself, you don’t deserve to laugh at others.
20 Heather // Sep 19, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Hmm… Well, I only shop at these stores when they have bargains. $30 for a t shirt??? No thanks.
21 Nita // Sep 29, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I think it is just the majority of the middle/upper class American teens from the suburbs in general. I mean these stores listed are pretty common.
I personally don’t understand the hype with these stores, the clothes look quite plain and casual.
22 lynne // Sep 30, 2008 at 12:34 am
this must be the typical asian american site,cos noone in aus wears those brands here
23 noni // Oct 27, 2008 at 8:46 pm
my school is like… 43% asian ( REALLY)
and everyone wears those brands: american eagle hollister abercrombie aeropostale etc etc… i totally agree. its like a symbol of status and wealth.
24 Vic // Nov 2, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Asian people, stop wearing these brand. Let’s start wearing Asian brand. These white brand sucks.
25 Jen // Nov 7, 2008 at 9:26 am
I wish i could AFFORD hollister/abercrombie stuff.
A&E is great, non-expensive.
Charlotte Russe, H&M, Forever 21–all great stores. Victoria’s Secret is something I can afford every once in a while. But hollister? sure, they have the impressive-looking stores w/ all the beautiful skinny people on display but…
26 Rebbecca // Nov 10, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I am not for this at all. I am upset to say i am wealthy thus allowing me to have litterally all of my clothinf from aerie, A.E., A&F,AND Hollister.
But i am pround to say i will get rid of alot of it,
27 Niki // Nov 24, 2008 at 8:11 pm
It depends upon the area you are in. Yes in most areas Asians do wear Hollister, Abercrombie (& Fitch), and American Eagle. At my school, everyone who who is popular wears AE, Hollister, Abercrombie, and the occasional Aero. and most of the kids at my school aren’t even Asian. Also, even with the higher brands like Gucci, Coach, Ann Taylor, etc. most Asian kids and teens do wear Hollister, A&F, and AE. So it goes to show you society these days doesn’t matter what the price is if you want it you’ll get it!
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