At its peak, American Apparel seemed to be everywhere—and that was very much by design.
Founded in 1989 by Dov Charney, the brand skyrocketed to fame in the mid-2000s, captivating shoppers with its rainbow of basics and bold, often provocative ad campaigns that made everyday wear feel effortlessly cool.
“It was a fashion cult,” said former district merchandising manager Jonny in Netflix’s Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel. “And Dov was the leader.”
The documentary explores the brand’s rapid rise from a Los Angeles startup to a cultural phenomenon, and its dramatic downfall after Charney was ousted in 2014 amid numerous sexual misconduct allegations.
E! News reached out to Charney for comment on the accusations presented in the film but received no response. Charney has consistently denied any wrongdoing. As noted in the documentary, lawsuits brought by former employees were ultimately resolved through confidential arbitration.
