Exploitation and Advocacy in the Fashion Industry

SOURCE www.theguardian.com
Kai Braden worked as a shirtless greeter for Abercrombie & Fitch in the mid-2000s, where he experienced exploitative and discriminatory practices. His advocacy has helped secure protections for fashion workers in New York starting in 2025.

Key Points

  • Abercrombie & Fitch used shirtless greeters as part of their marketing strategy in the mid-2000s.
  • Kai Braden experienced discriminatory treatment as one of the few non-white greeters.
  • Braden's advocacy has contributed to securing protections for models in New York.
  • The Fashion Workers Act will establish health and safety protections for models and create a safe channel to file complaints.

Pros

  • Kai Braden's advocacy has led to important protections for fashion workers in New York starting in 2025.

Cons

  • Abercrombie & Fitch in the mid-2000s was known for hypersexualized marketing and discriminatory hiring practices.