Too Much or Not? Push-up Padding Brings a Spring Storm of Controvery!

The Sadie bikini top in ruffle triangle style | $24.50 | abercrombiekids.com (image source)

Abercrombie & Fitch is getting its padding on as it battles a new wave of controversy over its swimwear collection for girls at abercrombie kids. The Company is being BOMBARDED with negative feedback over the abercrombie girls swimwear bikinis many are calling a further attempt to sexualize children. What is the big problem? The bikinis are designed with padding that has scandalized moms! Padding, for those of whom are unaware of its purpose, serves to enhance the appearance of a physical feature. So basically, abercrombie is offering breast enhancing bikinis to girls ages 7 through 14 (the consumer target for the childrens brand). Naturally, this has been mostly ill received. Critics call this a further move to sexualize children by bringing sensuallized attention to prebescent bodies; it has even been perceived on bordering pedophilia. One mother opposes this by stating that the padding actually gives maturing girls confidence, among other girls, that they may not otherwise have. Whatever. As if to soften the controversy, the padding is available as removable...   

Ofcourse, the Company is no virgin when it comes to controversies involving the sexualization of children. The company was often accused of making it's "soft-porn" A&F Quarterly magalog easily accessible for purchase to underage consumers. And then, in 2002, the company sold racy panties under the abercrombie kids label that had people protesting nationwide. The "wink, wink" (what was stamped on the panties) controversy was so strong it even made Mike Jeffries uncomfortable when it was brought up by a newsreporter.   

Abercrombie & Fitch is synonymous with sex in advertising. The Company is a complete pro at utilizing his tactic to bring in flocks of fans through the doors of its iconic brands. A&F is not naive and surely knows about padding...I mean, come on! Whatever the reason for the passig is clearly up for hot debate. What's sure is that this will certainly bring the abercrombie brand back into the infamous attention=profit spotlight. And with the brand down in the economic slumps, the Company, surely, is receiving the controversy as a mixed blessing....Certainly, those bikinis have totally made a splash!