France Wants Abercrombie To Stop Hiring For Looks

Apparently no one told France that exclusively hiring tan, fit, beautiful people is basically part of Abercrombie & Fitch's business plan. The retailer is under investigation from the Defenseur des Droits, France's human rights watchdog, after claims that they hire employees based solely on their looks. Spoiler alert for anyone who has never stepped foot in one of the dark, loud caves that are Abercrombie & Fitch stores: That's totally what Abercrombie & Fitch does.

"Though physical appearance may legitimately be a key and determining professional factor for models, that's not so for sales staff," the head of the watchdog, Dominique Baudis, told Reuters.

Abercrombie has previously faced claims that they're a brand solely targeted towards to attractive people, and their response has been more or less, "Yeah. So?" CEO Mike Jeffries said in a 2006 interview that his brand is for "cool, good-looking people." In related news, Mike Jeffries sounds like a great person.

The Defenseur des Droits plans to conclude their investigation by the end of 2013, and will then make recommendations to the company. The only way a lawsuit can be filed, however, is if an individual claims to be the victim of discrimination. So, basically, one of the shirtless males who greet you and ask if you've heard about their new boyfriend jeans (yeah, I've heard about jeans — thanks, though, bro) would have to stop someone they deem unattractive from entering the store. In the past, the company has lost discrimination lawsuits in both America and Britain. Jeffries is likely responding to to France's investigation by accusing the watchdogs of just being jealous and ugly.