Hollister is the Abercrombie & Fitch subsidiary that targets younger customers with a surfer aesthetic.
Abercrombie & Fitch introduced Hollister in 2000 as a lower-priced, youth-oriented brand inspired by Southern California surf culture. Its intended audience was primarily high-school students, distinguishing it from the namesake Abercrombie & Fitch brand, which historically targeted somewhat older teenagers and young adults.
The surf identity appeared in more than the clothing. Early Hollister stores were designed to resemble weathered beach shacks, complete with boardwalk-style entrances, shutters, dark wood, and strong coastal imagery. The company also used video feeds from Huntington Beach, California, to reinforce the idea of an always-on Southern California lifestyle.
A common mix-up is Abercrombie Kids, which is the children’s division, and Gilly Hicks, an intimates and activewear brand. Ruehl No.925 was aimed at older “post-grad” customers and closed in 2010. Hollister’s backstory about a California founder dating to 1922 is fictional brand storytelling; the retail concept was actually created in Ohio in 2000.