NEW ALBANY, Ohio, Nov. 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) today announced it will open a new Abercrombie & Fitch store, including abercrombie kids, in Westfield London, the largest shopping destination in Europe attracting 30 million visitors a year. The store opens on November 22^nd and both brands will feature the updated prototype format. Following this addition, all of A&F Co.’s brands will be represented at Westfield London – a new Hollister store, which includes Gilly Hicks, has been open at this shopping destination since July 2019.

As the company continues to grow globally and invest in its people and real estate in the London market, A&F Co. also announced that its Savile Row space, currently occupied by abercrombie kids, will be enhanced and repurposed as the global company’s EMEA Home Office, allowing more room for its expanded team in the region. The abercrombie kids store will be relocated to a carveout location in the nearby A&F Burlington Gardens store. The transition will begin after the Holiday Season, in early 2020, and is expected to be completed by Summer 2020.

“These exciting new stores and changes reflect our commitment to global growth as we continue to adapt our playbooks for European markets,” said Fran Horowitz, Chief Executive Officer, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. “With our growing team in the region, we’re getting closer to our local consumer, and both the Burlington Gardens and Westfield London locations will be an opportunity to bring relevant products and experiences to both our adult and kids customers.”

Keith Mabbett, Director of Leasing for Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield said, “Westfield London is pleased to be the only location in London where customers can shop all of Abercrombie & Fitch Co.’s brands. The opening of the new Abercrombie & Fitch including abercrombie kids is an excellent addition to the centre and along with Hollister and Gilly Hicks, provides a strong fashion offering for our UK and international customers.”

With the addition of Westfield, in 2019, the company has opened 13 new experiences across its brands in the EMEA region, including in October 2019 its first mall-based A&F store in France at Westfield's Parly 2 mall, and in November 2019 its first mall-based standalone abercrombie kids store in Europe, located at Plaza Norte 2 in Madrid.

As outlined at the company’s Investor Day in 2018, A&F Co. sees significant opportunity for global growth, and earlier this year, the company appointed two Group Vice Presidents over the EMEA and APAC regions. Dan Le Vesconte joined the company earlier this summer and is building out regionally-focused teams in the UK across Marketing, Merchandising, Planning, Inventory Management, Promotions, Customer Research, Strategic Planning, and Finance totaling approximately 60 people.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
A&F cautions that any forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained herein or made by management or spokespeople of A&F involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various important factors, many of which may be beyond the Company’s control. Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements.  Except as may be required by applicable law, we assume no obligation to publicly update or revise our forward-looking statements. The factors disclosed in “ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS” of A&F’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 2, 2019, and in A&F's subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, in some cases have affected, and in the future could affect, the company’s financial performance and could cause actual results for fiscal 2019 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any of the forward-looking statements included in this press release or otherwise made by management.

About Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) is a leading, global specialty retailer of apparel and accessories for Men, Women and Kids through three renowned brands. For more than 125 years, the iconic Abercrombie & Fitch brand has outfitted innovators, explorers and entrepreneurs. Today, the brand reflects the updated attitude of the modern customer, while remaining true to its heritage of creating expertly crafted products with an effortless, American style. The Hollister brand epitomizes liberating the carefree spirit of an endless California summer for the teen market. abercrombie kids creates smart, playful apparel for children ages 5-14, celebrating the wide-eyed wonder of childhood.

The brands share a commitment to offering products of enduring quality and exceptional comfort that allow consumers around the world to express their own individuality and style. The company operates over 850 stores under these brands across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the e-commerce sites www.abercrombie.com and www.hollisterco.com.