You probably think of shirtless models and loud cologne when you hear the name. Or maybe those dimly lit stores that smelled like a nightclub in 2005. But the founder of Abercrombie and Fitch wasn't a fashion mogul. Honestly, he’d probably be horrified by the mall culture the brand eventually created. David Abercrombie was a rugged surveyor, a mapmaker, and a man who lived for the woods.
He didn't want to sell polo shirts to teenagers. He wanted to sell waterproof tents to explorers.
When David T. Abercrombie opened his small shop on South Street in Manhattan in 1892, it was a literal "outfitter." It was for people who were going into the wilderness and might not come back for months. Think heavy-duty canvas, professional-grade fishing tackle, and specialized gear for trekking through the Yukon. It was a niche business, but it was built on his personal obsession with quality.
The Meeting That Changed Everything (and Eventually Broke It)
The story gets interesting—and a bit messy—when Ezra Fitch enters the picture. Fitch was a wealthy lawyer and one of David’s most loyal customers. He wasn't just a fan; he was obsessed with the brand's potential. He saw something David didn't. He saw a world where "regular" people wanted to feel like explorers, even if they were just going on a weekend camping trip.
In 1900, Fitch bought into the company. By 1904, the name officially became Abercrombie & Fitch.
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But here’s the thing: they didn't get along. At all. David Abercrombie was a purist. He wanted to sell gear to the pros—the guys mapping the frontier. Ezra Fitch, on the other hand, was the original lifestyle marketer. He wanted to bring the "great outdoors" to the masses. He wanted a bigger store, more inventory, and a catalog that reached every corner of the country.
They fought constantly. It wasn't just a small disagreement; it was a fundamental clash of philosophies. David didn't care about being the biggest; he cared about being the best for a very specific type of person. Fitch wanted to be a titan.
By 1907, David had enough. He walked away. The founder of Abercrombie and Fitch left his own namesake company because he couldn't stand the direction it was headed. He went back to manufacturing specialized gear under a different name, leaving Ezra Fitch to build the empire we recognize today.
When A&F Was Actually Cool (Before the Malls)
It's hard to imagine now, but there was a time when A&F was the most prestigious outdoor brand on the planet. We're talking about the store that outfitted Charles Lindbergh for his flight across the Atlantic. They provided the gear for Ernest Hemingway. Even Teddy Roosevelt stopped by to get supplies for his African safaris.
This wasn't "fast fashion." It was serious equipment.
The flagship store in New York City eventually grew to include a shooting range on the roof and a massive indoor pool where you could test out fishing lures. It was an experience. You could buy a miniature submarine there. You could buy a complete set of armor. It was basically the ultimate playground for the incredibly wealthy and adventurous.
Fitch’s vision worked. He took the foundation David Abercrombie built—a reputation for indestructible quality—and layered a sense of elitism and adventure on top of it. He pioneered the "mail-order catalog" as a piece of art, sending out 500-page books that people actually kept on their coffee tables.
The Slow Slide and the 1970s Collapse
Every business cycle has an end. By the 1960s, the brand was starting to feel... old. The world was changing, and the idea of "gentlemanly exploration" was dying out. High-end department stores were struggling, and A&F was no exception.
They filed for bankruptcy in 1977.
It's a weird piece of history because the brand basically died. It was a ghost. Oshman’s Sporting Goods bought the name and tried to keep the hunting-and-fishing vibe alive, but it didn't really click. The soul was gone. It wasn't until L Brands (the people behind Victoria's Secret) bought it in 1988 that the "modern" version of the brand started to take shape.
The Mike Jeffries Era: A Radical Pivot
If David Abercrombie provided the grit and Ezra Fitch provided the prestige, Mike Jeffries—the CEO who took over in the 90s—provided the sex appeal and the controversy.
Jeffries took the name of a dead hunting brand and turned it into a hyper-sexualized, exclusive club for the "cool kids." This is the version of the brand most people under 40 know. He leaned into the "heritage" of the founder of Abercrombie and Fitch but stripped away the actual utility. The tents were replaced by $80 hoodies. The fishing rods were replaced by black-and-white photography of models.
It was a brilliant business move for about fifteen years. It was also incredibly divisive. Jeffries famously said he only wanted "cool, good-looking people" in his clothes. He didn't want the brand to be for everyone.
This was the exact opposite of David Abercrombie’s original intent. David wanted his gear to be for anyone brave enough to face the wilderness. Jeffries wanted it to be for anyone pretty enough to sit at the popular table in the cafeteria.
Why the History Matters Today
Today, Abercrombie is in the middle of a massive "redemption arc." They’ve moved away from the shirtless models and the exclusionary marketing. They’re actually selling decent clothes again—linen shirts, well-cut trousers, and items that feel a bit more "timeless."
But if you look closely at their recent designs, you can see them reaching back to David Abercrombie. There’s a return to the "utility" aesthetic. More earth tones. More durable fabrics. They’re trying to find a balance between the ruggedness of 1892 and the fashion-forwardness of 2026.
The founder of Abercrombie and Fitch started something that survived bankruptcy, multiple ownership changes, and massive cultural shifts. That’s rare. Most brands that fail in the way A&F did in the 70s stay dead.
Lessons From the Original Vision
What can we actually learn from David Abercrombie’s life and the company he started?
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- Purity doesn't always scale. David was right about quality, but he was wrong about the market. If he hadn't partnered with Fitch, the brand likely would have remained a small, forgotten shop on a New York pier.
- Conflict can be a catalyst. The tension between David’s "product-first" mentality and Fitch’s "brand-first" mentality is what made the company iconic. You need both. Without the product, the brand is empty. Without the brand, no one knows the product exists.
- Heritage is a double-edged sword. A&F has spent the last decade trying to outrun the reputation it built in the early 2000s. They are constantly looking back at the 1892 origins to remind people they have "history," but they have to be careful not to look too old-fashioned.
If you’re interested in tracking how the brand continues to evolve, look at their "A&F Essentials" line. It’s the closest they’ve come in a long time to the simple, durable vibe David Abercrombie originally championed.
How to Apply This Knowledge
If you’re a business owner or a brand builder, take a page out of the David Abercrombie playbook: start with a product you would trust your life with. Even if you eventually pivot to a lifestyle brand, that foundation of quality is what allows a name to survive for over 130 years.
For shoppers, it’s a reminder that brands aren't monoliths. They are the result of people—often people who didn't even like each other—trying to figure out what the world wants to buy.
Next time you see that little moose logo, remember David. He wasn't a mall guy. He was a guy who just wanted to build a better tent.
Next Steps for Researching Brand Heritage
- Visit the New York Historical Society: They often have archives or mentions of early New York retailers including the original A&F.
- Look for "The Great Outdoors" (1900-1910) catalogs: Occasionally, these original Fitch-era catalogs pop up on auction sites. They are masterclasses in early 20th-century copywriting and illustration.
- Read "Rules for the Wild": While not strictly about A&F, it provides context on the era of exploration that birthed the brand.
- Audit your own brand's "Original Why": If you are building a business, write down your "David Abercrombie" (the core utility) and your "Ezra Fitch" (the aspirational story). If you don't have both, you might struggle to grow.