The boss in his underwear: the seedy side of American Apparel

Ireland’s first American Apparel store opened on Grafton St on August 4. Spanning three floors and almost 5000 square feet, it is currently the world’s largest American Apparel store. Since it was founded in 2003, American Apparel has supplied cosy hoodies, lamé leggings and tight knit t-shirts to shoppers in 270 stores across 20 countries.

American Apparel’s appeal to shoppers is based on two main reasons. The first is that the stores are full of plain, comfortable, well-fitting basics that can be paired with anything and that won’t shrink the first time they touch a washing machine. The second is that since its conception, a certain kind of look has evolved from the American Apparel brand. A look that involves mesh-fronted unitards and high-waisted gold leggings, which the shop stocks alongside t-shirts and tank tops. A look that requires enough confidence to show skin (a lot of it). And no, the look can’t be replicated with something from Penney’s. If you want to look like an American Apparel kid - that is, stylish, young and carefree - you need to fork out for American Apparel prices. And judging by the brand’s success, shoppers worldwide have been doing just that.

This ‘anything goes’ look and attitude has also brought its fair share of trouble on the company, though. American Apparel ad campaigns have been criticised numerous times for using images of young models in an overly sexual poses. In early September of this year, one campaign was banned completely in the UK. The ad showed a series of images of a female model zipping open her hooded top to reveal, well… not much else. The UK Advertising Standards Authority said that the model used looked “young” and “vulnerable”, and that the images in the campaign implied that she was “stripping off for an amateur style photo shoot”. American Apparel defended the campaign, saying their intention was to show that American Apparel garments were comfortable enough to wear “close to the skin”.

But it’s not just the company’s ad campaigns that have come under fire for being too sexually charged. American Apparel owner Dov Charney was sued for sexual harassment by not just one, but three female former employees in May 2005. All three women accused Charney of using foul language in their presence. Speaking to their lawyers, Charney defended himself by saying he felt free to use “the language of the street” in the creative environment in which he worked. He said he intended words like “slut” to be “endearing” rather than derogatory. Charney believes that his brand is introducing sexual liberation and openness to marketing, and says that he shouldn’t be asked to “tone down” his creative streak.

Charney may need to “tone down” more than just his language, though. Two of the three harassment cases brought claims that Charney exposed himself to the women involved. In 2004, videos were uploaded to the American Apparel website of Charney conducting business in his LA office wearing just underwear. Charney said that this was common practice for him and that the video was uploaded in good humour. “I frequently drop my pants to show people my new product”, said Charney.

A group of female employees interviewed during the harassment investigations were quick to defend Charney, and said that he was “eccentric…but definitely inspiring”. Sex is an integral part of the American Apparel brand, said one of the interviewees, and “if you don’t feel comfortable with that, then maybe this isn’t the place for you to work”.

Is Charney’s attitude to sexual openness opening up new doors for marketing, or is the whole thing a bit seedy? Well, either way, sex sells. And Charney has most definitely cashed in.