Vintage Abercrombie and Fitch Clothing

Abercrombie & Fitch — a brand that spans over one hundred years — was initially famed for its wide variety of expensive sporting equipment and attire. It was said it carried everything from “exercise balls to elephant guns.” The company started as an outdoorsman and hunting store in the late 19th century before transforming into the clothing mecca for teens in the 1990s and early 2000s.

In New York in 1892, David T. Abercrombie — a former miner, trapper and railroad surveyor — opened the Abercrombie Company as a sporting goods and camping equipment store. Ezra Fitch — a wealthy lawyer, real estate developer and one of Ambercrombie’s best customers — became a partner in the company in 1900. In 1904, the company was incorporated and renamed "Abercrombie & Fitch Co." Fitch bought Abercrombie's share of the business and became the sole owner from 1907 to 1928. 

Fitch anticipated a clientele far broader than merely those who had to camp to earn a living. Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) became the go-to retailer when the wealthy planned safaris and other international excursions.

While it’s true that military style by now has truly invaded fashion, A&F is credited with bringing the safari suit, a hunting outfit based on British colonial military uniforms, to the urban consumer. For more than half a century, their goods were the image of correctness and opulence — inspiring a humorist to mock a perfectly-outfitted, affluent fisherman as an “Abercrombie and Fitcherman.” Fitch retired in 1928, selling his interest in the company to his brother-in-law, James S. Cobb.

By 1939 A&F was touted as the greatest sporting goods store in the world. During A&F’s peak, its customers included Ernest Hemingway and Teddy Roosevelt. The company outfitted the polar expeditions led by Roald Amundsen and Admiral Richard Byrd and provided equipment to the famed aviators Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.

Hard times fell on A&F in the 1970s, but the brand pivoted and emerged as a trendy clothing chain for teens and young adults in the '80s and '90s. Whenever it expanded during its heyday, the company confined its new stores to downtown areas of large cities and luxury-destination hotel stores. The company then attempted to widen its customer base by moving into the suburbs and adding less-expensive items to its usual stock. 

For fashion lovers, the 1990s have become associated with styles adopted by today’s supermodels and influencers, and today’s enthusiasts of the era’s aesthetic don’t have to look much further than to vintage Abercrombie & Fitch to get their fix.

On 1stDibs, find Abercrombie & Fitch coats, jackets, vintage leather goods and more.

From museum-worthy vintage Oscar de la Renta evening dresses and jackets to audacious T-shirts and trousers from provocative punk designer Vivienne Westwood, one thing is abundantly clear: If the clothing available on 1stDibs could talk, it would certainly make a statement. 

For fashion lovers, the 1990s have become associated with styles adopted by today’s supermodels and influencers — think Galliano and Cavalli — but maybe ‘80s accessories are among your (guilty?) pleasures. Playful, boldly colored coats and outerwear from Moschino and other titans of the era can take a simpler ensemble to the next level, while chic and practical suits from the likes of Christian Dior and Chanel remain classic for haute couture advocates and beyond. By exploring the vast array of vintage collections on these pages, you can transform your closet into a retreat that is as retro as it is royal. 

Velvet cocktail dresses and silk evening gowns designed by French-born American couturiere Pauline Trigère — who dressed Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor — have proven timeless since their mid-century debut, while an overcoat by Alexander McQueen is the perfect finishing touch. In fact, an emerald one stays in rotation for Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.

Those seeking modern high-fashion brands are also in luck. Turn your day-to-day into a runway with selections from Dolce & Gabbana, Yves Saint Laurent and Versace or complete that fresh look with stunning footwear classics from the likes of Gucci and Christian Louboutin. The future — and glamorous past — of fashion is yours for the wearing. 

Build your collection of covetable and iconic vintage garments by shopping on 1stDibs. No matter where you roam, our diverse apparel and accessories will keep you covered in the hottest styles and comfiest black hoodie imaginable.