I have a confession to make: I fucking love American Apparel.
There's been a lot of outrage in the feminist community over American Apparel. The ads are offensive and Dov Charney may just be the creepiest person alive. The models all look like they're on coke.
So here's my defense.
There's no way to defend Dov Charney. He's creepy and disrespectful of everyone around him. I've always kind of suspected he might have some mental disorder that makes him think that this kind of behavior is okay, but maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to let him off the hook. He's a creeper. No argument here.
Wow. I'm starting this defense off really well, aren't I?
Let's start with the ads. They're sexy. They're over the top, and they invariably show way more nudity than is strictly necessary. I could argue that some of the shots are really artistic and gorgeous, but that would spark all sorts of controversy and lots of arguing. But the one thing no one can argue is that it's incredibly awesome that the ads aren't airbrushed. If you see an AA ad while flipping through Cosmo, chances are it's the only un-photoshopped image in the entire magazine. The flaws are out in the open, not hidden away. AA models may be uniformly gorgeous and skinny, but they're real people, and you have to give the company props for that.
In the end, I think that it's worth giving money to a creepster like Dov if it helps me avoid supporting sweatshops, which are awful. Dov may harass women, but let's not forget that women are disproportionately affected by sweatshop labor. And while I can't excuse his grossness (unless it really is a mental disorder, in which case someone needs to get him the proper medicine, and fast) I can justify my decision to shop at American Apparel.
(Also, some of the clothing is really, really cute.)
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Good, eloquently presented arguments, but before you put your money into the "anti sweatshop" company you should look into their labor issues. They've been involved in quite a few lawsuits for their labor practices, not to mention sexual harassment. Frustrating, I know. Still, I don't begrudge anyone the occasional purchase, but the facts should all be out there.
Thanks for this post! I'm relieved that you've brought the issue up, because I'm still trying to figure out how the hell I feel about American Apparel. I recognize that the ads aren't airbrushed, which is cool in theory, but they still really creep me out. And the clothes they stick on those anorexic looking medels just keep getting smaller. Those dresses have never seen a pair of hips! But then there's the sweatshop and labor angle to consider.
I compromise by only shopping at American Apparel occasionally. Okay, okay, I can only afford to shop at American Apparel occasionally. But I figure I'm paying the extra money for good labor practices and good basics that will hold up for a long time.
And I try to keep my eyes open for those lawsuits. Yup, very frustrating. Thanks for pointing that out, AttackPoodle. Sometimes it just feels like a lose/lose. Do you know where we could get up to date information?
Yes, the company sickens me in a way. I have purchased many things from there. It is hard to find a good company out there. Maybe many of these companies that honor and truly value woman as equal human beings will be created in the future by some of us. I believe something American Apparel is a model for what not to do in a so called "ethical" company.
Here is another good sweet shop free company...
http://nosweatapparel.com/
I wrote AA an email about exploiting women and this is how they responded...
Unlike almost everyone in the fashion industry, American Apparel doesn't use professional models and agencies. Our models are mostly people who work here at the factory. We photograph each other in the clothes that we design and make here. We don't exploit or pressure each other, and all our models do what they do not for money (we pay very little) but because they love the company, the clothes, and what we stand for. We don't objectify, we reflect the lives of the people who make American Apparel what it is. Cheers,
I still think it's exploitation. They exploit their workers both by not paying them well, even if it's better than a sweatshop, and they exploit the models in their ads, even if the models are agreeing it it. The ads are disgusting and objectifying. It's up to you to decide if you want to shop there, but I'll be waiting for a company that both use sweatshops and doesn't treat women like meat, thanks.
"Dov may harass women, but let's not forget that women are disproportionately affected by sweatshop labor. And while I can't excuse his grossness (unless it really is a mental disorder, in which case someone needs to get him the proper medicine, and fast) I can justify my decision to shop at American Apparel."
So you're basically saying here that sexual harassment is excusable as long a the women are being paid fairly?
I don't give my money to sweatshops. I don't give my money to men who believe it's okay to sexually harass women in the work place.
You don't have to shop at American Apparel any more than you have to buy clothing made in a China.
http://knowmore.org/wiki/index.php?title=American_Apparel%2C_LLC#The_Harassment_Question
(see: The Harassment Question. You might also want to take note that they are union busters)
I never said that the harassment was okay. And yeah, they might not have perfect labor practices, but they're much, much better than most clothing companies, and that's something you have to give them credit for, no matter how sexy the ads are.
While I'm sure there are companies out there that are a lot more ethical than AA, I still think AA is better than the vast majority of clothing companies. It's certainly not worse than Forever 21.
I have a couple shirts from Alternative Apparel's Alternative Earth line that I love. They claim to be sweatshop-free, but I haven't looked into it. But after hearing some of the things Dov Charney has said about women I'm not sending one penny in his direction. Period.
"I never said that the harassment was okay. And yeah, they might not have perfect labor practices, but they're much, much better than most clothing companies, and that's something you have to give them credit for, no matter how sexy the ads are."
Actually, that is what you're saying. Being sexually harassed is better than being a sweatshop worker, therefore it's okay to support this man with your money. I don't care at all how "sexy" their ads are. It is how Dov Charney treats his employees, the designers, the machinists, his assistants. Did you even read the article I linked to? It's very informative. Yes the working conditions at AA are better than most places in the industry, but women still deserve much better.
"While I'm sure there are companies out there that are a lot more ethical than AA, I still think AA is better than the vast majority of clothing companies. It's certainly not worse than Forever 21."
You don't have to shop at Forever 21. You don't have to shop at American Apparel.
I'm torn too, I know american apparrell is full of shit, but most ethical companies (esp in the UK) are online ordering only, can't buy them in the shops and well mostly ugly and expensive with amazingly limited ranges. The rest of the British high street is appalling too, sweatshop and advertising that makes you want to poke your eyes out.
As much as I'd like to never buy from a shitty company practicality and expenses mean I can't, so sometimes you have to choose the not quite as shitty as the rest option.