Ugly people need not apply

There has been some discussion lately about the coming of clothing store Abercrombie & Fitch to Orchard Road. Most of the talk has centered not on the merits of having their clothes available, nor on their giant billboard of a nearly naked young man clearly in need of clothes (A&F or any others), but on their practice of hiring only very attractive young people to work as salespeople. There always follows a deafening silence – the sound of no one mentioning SIA’s long standing practice of hiring (and retaining) only very attractive young stewardesses.

I might be more likely to buy clothing from an attractive person than an ugly one, but I would definitely be more likely to buy from a knowledgeable and helpful person who took an interest in me than from a clueless person, no matter how good looking. And being served by a gorgeous stewardess does not make the food taste any better.

Today’s “Home” section in the Straits Times had an above the fold story of A&F’s no ugly people policy, as well as mention of a few small local companies that also seemed to have only good looking counter help. Again, no mention of our sacred cow airline. But below the fold was a half page ad featuring a beautiful Singapore Girl hovering over a passenger. Talk about irony!