For years, at the behest of controversial former CEO Mike Jeffries, Abercrombie & Fitch explicitly pursued a hyper-sexualised marketing strategy.

This included, amongst other things, hiring exclusively good-looking store workers (which the company referred to as “models”) and the implementation of a “looks policy” – which prevented staff growing moustaches, having certain hairstyles, wearing eyeliner, and numerous other things.

I think most of us would agree that Jefferies’ hiring policies and dress codes were too invasive.

But to what extent should companies be able to dictate their staffs’ appearance?

Though Jefferies’ policies were extremely successful when they were first introduced (Jeffries is credited with transforming the company from an ailing hunting apparel retailer into trendy collegiate brand), over the last few years many of Jeffries’ outlandish remarks and actions have been met with criticism and, in turn, falling sales.

Because of this Jeffries abruptly left the company last December.

Now the company has announced that it will ditch its “looks policy”, tone down its overtly sexual marketing, and “put the customer at the centre of the business” 

So should companies control their staffs’ appearance at all?

A friend of mine was recently in a well-known high-street store when he noticed that the some of the people surrounding him in the queue were muttering about the appearance of one of the store workers.

She was dressed as a “goth”, wearing a black outfit, black lipstick, numerous spiky accessories, and reptilian contact lenses. 

My friend didn’t mind the girl’s appearance, and I don’t think I would have either.

In my opinion the store’s particular target demographic will, on the whole, be fairly used to, or at least familiar with, such a look.

Even though a small group of customers were making disparaging remarks about the store worker, I doubt that many would find her appearance comment-worthy, and even less would be put off shopping there in the future.

But what if that same store worker was employed by a more conservative store, or one with an older target demographic?

In this case the store may be justified in asking the young woman to soften her look since it would be at odds with the store’s brand and may even potentially put consumers off.

In fact, she may not have been hired in the first place. 

CEOs, of course, can decide how much control their companies should exert over their employees’ appearance.

And those who get this drastically wrong can, like Jeffries, expect to be punished by the market.

So how much control do you think a company should have over how its employees look?

Email us your thoughts.