A Copy Of Bruce Weber’s ‘Bear Pond’ Book Sells For $500 Today
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Netflix's new documentary White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch uncovers the famous clothing brand's journey from just another label to one of the most popular stores in the U.S., while also diving into the clever marketing tactics that pushed it ahead of its competitors.
After a massive tumble in the early 2010s, Abercrombie & Fitch is growing in popularity once again, that's in large part due to a complete rebrand the store initiated after its CEO, Mike Jeffries, stepped down from his role in 2014.
When the store first took off, shoppers could instantly recognize its storefronts and shopping bags thanks to the brand's massive, black-and-white photographs of young models relaxing on beaches. White Hot makes it clear that photographer Bruce Weber (and his book Bear Pond—more on that in a sec) was the brains and inspiration behind the marketing campaign. And in 2017, models started to come forward with claims of sexual harassment and assault against the photographer.
So who is Weber, and what's in that book, anyway? Here's everything to know about how Bear Pond became the basis for everything Abercrombie & Fitch:
Bruce Weber is a famous fashion photographer and filmmaker.
And, you're probably already familiar with his work—even if you don't realize it.
Weber, 76, shot brand campaigns and other types of fashion photography. He first rose to fame for his barely-there Calvin Klein ads that took the fashion industry by storm in the 1980s and 90s. They featured models and celebs like Mark Wahlberg and Kate Moss, according to Vogue France. (Warning: Some ads are NSFW.)
He's also known for his Ralph Lauren and Versace campaigns, among others.
Weber's book Bear Pond was published in 1990.
The book contains 100 of Weber's photographs, including landscape shots and figure studies. And, it's pretty rare—a copy can cost anywhere from $290 to $500, plus it's considered a collectible on Amazon. You can find many of Weber's snapshots, including a few that were taken at Bear Pond, here (some photos are NSFW).
The book was a hit, with one review from 1990 calling Weber "a master of his craft" and "one of the two or three most sought-after photographers in the world."
But it also drew attention to the AIDS crisis that was happening at the time. Weber was openly gay, and Bear Pond was published to benefit the AIDS Resource Center in New York, according to the review. "Within that context, Bear Pond becomes a subtle and powerful work indeed," the reviewer explained.
Bear Pond also helped set the stage for Abercrombie & Fitch's aesthetic.
As the documentary mentions, CEO Mike Jeffries chose to work with Weber to create a new, unique brand identity for Abercrombie & Fitch. In the film, insiders explain how Weber's photographs reflected Jeffries' vision of the ideal Abercrombie customer.
Young, attractive people living a carefree lifestyle in A&F clothes became the hallmark of the brand, all in Weber's signature black-and-white style. Weber began shooting for the brand in the mid-1990s, and success followed from there.
Current and former male models have accused Weber of sexual assault.
During the film, former Abercrombie model Ryan Daharsh says that "it was very well known with Bruce that he liked young men."
In Dec. 2017, former model Jason Boyce was the first to accuse Weber of sexual assault. Boyce sued Weber and claimed Weber touched him inappropriately during a 2014 shoot, The Cut reported. Just one month later, 15 current and former models came forward and accused Weber of sexual harassment, per The New York Times. They claimed “unnecessary nudity and coercive sexual behavior” had happened during professional shoots.
One year later, five male models sued Weber, saying he had sexually assaulted or exploited them, according to The New York Times. Weber has since denied all accusations. “I have used common breathing exercises and professionally photographed thousands of nude models over my career, but never touched anyone inappropriately,” he said in a statement, the outlet reported.
Where is Bruce Weber now?
In Jan. 2018, many brands (including Abercrombie & Fitch) said they would no longer work with Weber, per Bustle. In Sept. 2021, Weber settled both Boyce's lawsuit and the lawsuit filed by the group of five models, according to Page Six.
Today, Weber continues to work as a photographer. He's still publishing books of his work, directing documentaries, and shooting magazine covers, including ICON magazine's April 2022 issue.
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