Millennials, I want you to think back to a time when you were a teenager and you wanted to shop somewhere that would make you look cool. A place once filled with beautiful shirtless men and a scent so strong that you could smell from a 100 ft away. The lighting was dim, you could only make out the bright neon clothes in the darkness. What kind of place was that?

I’m sure you remember. It’s Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F).

The store once dominated the millennial era with its massive sex appeal and heavily scented stores. Flash forward today, the generation that once loved the moose logo grew up and realized overpriced polos aren’t that cool anymore.

The brand has struggled recently as millennial fashion tastes evolved and e-commerce boomed. The company posted a $15.5 million loss in its recent quarter. Abercrombie plans to shut over 50 stores this year.

According to Ypulse, a brand consulting company, A&F was the least favorite clothing brand among 13-34 years old who were polled earlier this year.

A&F has made many attempts to shred its sexual image in the recent years. One of them was lighting up their stores, toning down the scent, getting rid of shirtless men, no longer hiring people that have “the look”, and having employees focus more on customer service than how perfumed the store smells.

The new store is bringing a new look this year in Columbus, Ohio. It’s is bright, mature and inviting, open to everyone. It even has light and music controls, as well as phone charging stations in the fitting rooms.

A&F also released its first television commercial in more than 10 years. The video captures modern youth culture such as a multicultural cast, startup entrepreneurs, interracial and same-sex couples, heartbreaks, etc. Basically, the video is showing all the highs and lows of the lives of young people.

Here’s the commercial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTyiQsCyZjs

And here’s an old Abercrombie commercial. See how much the company has changed?

Will Smith, A&F’s chief marketing officer, said: “We understand how, when and where customers want to engage and what they expect from us a brand.” He also added that the ad nods to the “important journey our customers are on, as well as the one we are on as a brand.”

The company is turning it’s back on the preppy stereotypes that once made the brand a hit. A&F has made many changes and is working hard to keep up with the latest trends in an attempt to become known again in the eyes of a shopper.

Their sister brand, Hollister Co., was also guilty of the same sex-appeal style marketing. They made a huge comeback by re-inventing themselves as a carefree chain. The store also remolded their stores and took down walls that once separated each room.

There are two re-modeled Hollister Co. stores here in Colorado, one in Park Meadows in Lone Tree and the other at FlatIrons Crossing in Bloomfield.

When you go into Abercrombie stores today, you’ll notice that there’s not a logo storm on all their clothes. Most of the button up shirts for men are logo-free, resembling a laid-back lifestyle.

I know most of us miss the attractive shirtless men greeting us and letting us take a picture with them in front of the store. Not to mention the abs on the shopping bags. But, it’s the end of an era and fashion trends are changing faster every day. Can A&F keep up with the trends? Only time will tell.