I don't fault A&F for their design or look. Variety is the spice of life and I hope they continue doing what they're doing long after were all gone.
That being said, even if things come with a lifetime guarantee, that doesn't mean one shouldn't take care not to build a product that its cosmetic treatment inevitably renders it designed to fail. There are ways to age steel and even chromed-steel parts that don't compromise the material. A lifetime guarantee is only good as long as the company is around. If the parts fail due to the "aging treatment" and their isn't a company available to fix them, it's up to the owner to find a solution.
As once was said:
Tommy: Ted, why would somebody put a guarantee on a box? Hmmm, very interesting.
Ted Nelson: Go on, I'm listening.
Tommy: Here's the way I see it, Ted. Guy puts a fancy guarantee on a box 'cause he wants you to fell all warm and toasty inside.
Ted Nelson: Yeah, makes a man feel good.
Tommy: 'Course it does. Why shouldn't it? Ya figure you put that little box under your pillow at night, the Guarantee Fairy might come by and leave a quarter, am I right, Ted?
Ted Nelson: What's your point?
Tommy: The point is, how do you know the fairy isn't a crazy glue sniffer? "Building model airplanes" says the little fairy, well, we're not buying it. He sneaks into your house once, that's all it takes. The next thing you know, there's money missing off the dresser and your daughter's knocked up, I seen it a hundred times.
Ted Nelson: But why do they put a guarantee on the box?
Tommy: Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of shit. That's all it is, isn't it? Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time. But for now, for your customer's sake, for your daughter's sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me.
All that being said, I'm getting me some chicken wings.