The disturbing truth about American Apparel

American Apparel is an internationally known brand, founded in 1989 by Dov Charney. The brand has approximately 11,300 employees and has an average net income of $39.31 million. With an escalating fan base and a thought to be “good ethos”, one may think that American Apparel is the new way forward in fashion.

The company has been praised in the past as being “sweatshop free” and promoting “fair wages”. Moreover, many women are fans of the brand, seeing as they don’t use the typical size-zero models in their campaign. Instead, they use women of all looks and sizes, and choose not to materialise the brand through using the technique of airbrushing. 

No wonder American Apparel is hailed for being such a perfect vision of what fashion should be. However, what happens when the truth about this famous brand comes out? What happens when it’s revealed that they have been raided for illegal workers, criticised for pornographic adverts and accused of prejudiced practices? What happens when the fans find out that an immoral man who has been declared “sex-crazed” owns the company? The perfectly painted fortune is not all as it seems; it turns out there are aspects of the brand darker than the bright colours we all see on the shop floor.

The truth about American Apparel began to untie after a number of ex-employees filed lawsuits against the company itself, and more personally, the chairman and CEO, Dov Charney. In fact, there have been four different cases of sexual harassment, filed by past female employees. If this doesn’t seem disheartening and corrupt enough, then it is also important to take a look at the real side to Dov Charney.

Charney has what one would refer to as a rather unconventional lifestyle. He has been caught masturbating in front of reporters and turning up to formal meetings in nothing other than his underwear. The CEO himself embraces this so called “rich” lifestyle, and refuses to hold back what he feels like doing – even if that does include condoning sex between him and his employees.

Another aspect of the brand, which serves as a shock, is the campaign advertisements. American Apparel’s recent campaigns have been referred to as soft pornography; the fact that the brand preaches out to audiences of all ages makes this aspect the most shocking. It seems that Charney’s love for women in leotards posing provocatively is his way of making the brand unique.

The underlying shock about American Apparel cannot be commented on without debate. Tell us what you think is the truth about the brand. Will you be buying from Charney’s erotic company again? Do you think the campaigns are a way of pushing fashion forward?

Sasha Hilton