Which former U.S. president was a notable customer of Abercrombie & Fitch?

Theodore Roosevelt was a notable customer of Abercrombie & Fitch.

Founded in New York City in 1892, Abercrombie & Fitch originally served affluent outdoorsmen rather than mall shoppers. Its inventory included sporting firearms, fishing equipment, tents, clothing, and expedition supplies. Theodore Roosevelt, an avid hunter and explorer, used the company as an outfitter for his famous African safari.

That connection is easy to confuse with other prominent names associated with the company. Explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd obtained equipment for his Antarctic expedition from Abercrombie & Fitch, and Ernest Hemingway was also a regular customer. Roosevelt, however, is the former U.S. president identified in the question.

The retailer later transformed into a youth-focused fashion brand under Mike Jeffries, but its early identity was that of a highly respected sporting-goods outfitter. Its Roosevelt association therefore belongs to the company’s original outdoor-adventure era, not its later clothing-store period.