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Metro
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
The shocking scandal of American Apparel 'cult' unraveled in new Netflix doc
American Apparel is under the microscope after Netflix dropped a new documentary delving into the scandal behind the scenes at the popular clothing brand. Last week, the streaming giant left viewers in a state of astonishment by their programme Poop Cruise, which told the horrifying real-life story of passengers who were stuck on a cruise without working toilets for days. Now, the platform has released the next instalment in its Trainwreck documentary series – The Cult of American Apparel. Directed by Sally Rose Griffiths, the new one-hour documentary looks to 'reveal the sinister side of the brand', diving into the rise and fall of the once-popular clothing retailer. Behind the all-American noughties image, the programme paints a picture of a breakneck and sometimes toxic workplace culture, under the leadership of CEO Dov Charney. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. As one interviewee says in the documentary: 'It was a fashion cult and Dov was the leader.' After founding American Apparel in 1989 while still a student at Tufts University, Charney dropped out to pursue a career in fashion full-time. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The now 56-year-old's time at the company came to an acrimonious end when he was sacked in 2014 amid allegations of sexual harassment and abuse. He has denied all wrongdoing. Described as a 'flamboyant, Canadian-born, LA clothing entrepreneur', the initial impression of Charney is as a man determined to combat the rise of the sweatshop with ethically made clothing. The Netflix documentary features footage, research and firsthand accounts from former employees. Audio snippets feature Charney calling employees 'fool of the week' and other verbal attacks. In addition to accusations of a hostile workplace, Charney has faced multiple accusations of sexual harassment from former female employees. Charney has repeatedly denied all allegations. In the documentary footage, he's seen speaking about sexual experiences with employees at the time. It also shows a video of Charney walking naked in front of two female employees. 'It was definitely an open secret that Dov was sleeping with the employees,' Carson, a former American Apparel worker, tells the Netflix cameras. The Netflix documentary claims that these cases were dismissed in court due to confidentiality agreements that employees had signed. The American Apparel board eventually launched an investigation into Charney's behaviour and first suspended him for 'alleged misconduct and violations of company policy', before subsequently firing him in 2014. In a statement to Entertainment Weekly regarding the documentary, a spokesperson for Charney said that in spite of the Netflix programme's narrative, 'Charney has never been found liable for any misconduct — sexual harassment or otherwise — by any judge, jury, arbitrator, or independent investigation. Dov Charney still works in fashion, having founded the clothing manufacturer Los Angeles Apparel in 2016. Charney has said that a Los Angeles Apparel store will be opening in New York later this year. He has also worked alongside Kanye West and his Yeezy brand. Rolling Stone reported that Charney printed West's controversial White Lives Matter t-shirt. Celebrity Net Worth reports that Charney is worth $500,000 (£366,000) – although that is not a verified number and there are no public records of his exact personal finances. The statement continued: 'Unfortunately, the Netflix documentary grossly misrepresents the story of American Apparel and Charney, relying on paid actors to emotionally restate long-disproven allegations. 'No credible insiders — including Charney himself — participated in the production. One can only hope the full, unvarnished story of American Apparel and the forces behind its downfall will one day be told.' American Apparel became known for its cheeky ad campaigns, which often included young women in provocative poses. An interviewee in the documentary described the ads as 'basically softcore porn'. The brand championed wardrobe basics and embraced the indie sleeve aesthetic, while also promoting itself as a sustainable option, with the tagline 'Ethically Made — Sweatshop Free'. However, as times and fashions have changed, American Apparel fell out of favour. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016. It was bought in 2017 by Canadian sportswear manufacturer Gildan Activewear. The new owners closed all 281 stores and relaunched American Apparel as an online-only brand. The website claims American Apparel is 'committed to leading ethical and sustainable practices'. Given that the documentary currently sits at the second spot on the top film ranking on Netflix, it's clear that subscribers are tuning in. They're also been sharing their reactions on X, with many saying it brought them back to being regulars at the stores in their heyday. @itsMarciaAgain wrote: 'Watching this American Apparel documentary I vividly remember shopping there esp when I visited Miami. What a time!' @tiffnotjustany added: 'Omggg the American Apparel era… You just had to be there!' More Trending Meanwhile, @justfaith___ and others agreed the documentary was a crazy watch, writing: 'American Apparel being a cult is news to meeee.' @ndulceee added: 'That American Apparel documentary was crazy!' @MsJah_ echoed: 'The cult of American Apparel on Netflix. Crazy.' Metro contacted Dov Charney for further comment. View More » Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel is available to stream on Netflix. Rape Crisis England & Wales is a feminist charity working to end rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, child sexual abuse – and all other forms of sexual violence. Whether it happened recently, or a long time ago; whether you know without a doubt that you experienced sexual violence, or aren't quite sure; whether it happened to you, or someone you know; Rape Crisis England & Wales will always believe you and listen to you, and they can offer you information and support. You can find out more about Rape Crisis England & Wales here; and if you're aged 16 or over, you can call the charity's 24/7 support line for free on 0808 500 2222. MORE: New Netflix action movie branded 'tedious' by critics but fans demand sequel MORE: Children 'given food and sexually assaulted' at community centre with man, 41, arrested MORE: Dark TV show 'compared to Ozark' dominates Netflix charts
Cosmopolitan
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
So, what did Jonny Makeup do after American Apparel?
If you've seen The Cult of American Apparel, the latest episode on Netflix's Trainwreck documentary series, you'll be familiar with Jonny Makeup. The wise-cracking and flamboyant character shares his experiences on camera about what it was like working for the brand that was famous for disco-pants and daring advertising. Jonny also goes on to describe what it was like being a part of Dov Charney's inner circle, and the conflict he felt when he saw numerous accusations come out against someone he effectively considered to be family. With the documentary becoming increasingly popular on Netflix, here is what Jonny Makeup revealed both on and off-screen about his time at American Apparel – as well as what life looks like for him now. Real name Jonny Szymanski, Jonny was initially a big player on the New York party scene in the early aughts. He was a part of the hip-hop group VIP Party Boys, which also saw him perform alongside Cobra Starship (one of the pioneering artists of the indie sleaze era). The electro-clash band Gravy Train!!!! also wrote the eponymous song about Jonny. However, being relatively well-known while out and about didn't necessarily pay Jonny's bills. In The Cult of American Apparel, he explained that he mostly earned a living by being a phone sex operator. It was when he picked up a newspaper and saw an advertisement for American Apparel doing an open casting call that he decided to go along. While Jonny had always wanted to pursue a career in fashion, he lacked the relevant experience. When he turned up at American Apparel that day, he explains in the documentary, the interview was more of a 'vibe check' – and when he said he wanted to do fashion merchandising, he landed the part. Jonny's first job was on the shop floor, where he would organise and set up mannequins. He was introduced to Dov Charney after someone in the store sent the CEO a photo of Jonny's layout.'Working at American Apparel gave me meaning,' Jonny recalls in the series. Later on in his career, Jonny relocated to Los Angeles and started working at the American Apparel mothership – the 800,000sq foot factory where all the clothes were made and all the marketing was created. Those who landed a job at the factory were considered to be part of Dov's top table, and received an impressive starter kit. In the documentary, Jonny recalls that this 'starter kit' consisted of 'a camera, a BlackBerry phone, a book titled The 48 Laws of Power and a vibrator'. When he was living and working in LA, Jonny worked his way up to be in charge of fashion media and product placement, seeing him rub shoulders with celebrities such as former Playboy bunny Kendra Wilkinson as well as others on the LA party scene. In the documentary, Jonny recalls serving Beyonce and closing the store down especially when she shopped in American Apparel. While Jonny had a close relationship with Dov – even living with him while working at American Apparel in LA in Dov's house which he dubbed as 'the Playboy Mansion for hipsters' - in the documentary he also acknowledges the way Dov worked was unorthodox. On one occasion, Jonny recalls how Dov would lose his temper but then suddenly softened towards him quickly. 'It was confusing,' Jonny recalls. 'I felt so indebted to [Dov] – he was my only ticket.'The close friendship that Jonny had with his boss even led to him being doubtful when five former employees tried to sue Dov over allegations of harassment (Dov has always denied any wrongdoing. None of the cases ever went to court – three were dismissed by a judge, while two went to arbitration). 'He was like a father to me,' Jonny explains. 'It led me to think maybe some of the accusers were seeking money.' However, with Dov receiving poor publicity, and American Apparel struggling after the 2008 recession, Jonny found Dov more difficult to work with – choosing to move out of Dov huge mansion and find his own place. When Dov got ousted from his own company in 2014, Jonny explains in the documentary that he felt a 'sigh of relief' but he also felt like 'he'd lost family'. While life at American Apparel was often stressful and difficult for him, Jonny makes plain that he did also have 'fun times'. After Dov left, Jonny remained at American Apparel as Director of Philanthropic and Creative Partnerships and Marketing until 2017. According to his LinkedIn, Jonny went on to work at Sunset/Studios as Vice President of Accounts and Creative, which saw him launch immersive brand experiences after his departure from American Apparel. In August 2023, Jonny moved on to become a creative director at marketing company Borg Rise US. Kimberley Bond is a Multiplatform Writer for Harper's Bazaar, focusing on the arts, culture, careers and lifestyle. She previously worked as a Features Writer for Cosmopolitan UK, and has bylines at The Telegraph, The Independent and British Vogue among countless others.
