The abercrombie kids brand was launched in 1998.
Abercrombie & Fitch introduced the concept to reach a younger audience than its mainline stores. The first abercrombie stores opened with clothing aimed at children roughly ages 7 to 14, adapting the parent brand’s preppy, casual style for younger shoppers.
The launch came during Abercrombie & Fitch’s major transformation from an outdoor outfitter into a youth-focused fashion retailer. Its lowercase branding, navy-colored visual identity and smaller-scale store designs helped distinguish abercrombie kids from the adult Abercrombie & Fitch label.
A common mix-up is confusing the children’s line’s founding date with Abercrombie & Fitch’s own 1892 origin. The 1892 date belongs to the parent company, founded by David Abercrombie; the abercrombie kids concept did not arrive until 1998. The company later expanded its youth portfolio with Hollister, launched in 2000.