RIOTUS

Growing up in the early 2000s, you couldn’t escape American Apparel. All the cool kids rocked their fits, and those of us who couldn’t afford it obsessed over its fashion inspo edits. It was a wild time filled with socialites and sex appeal, sordid tales and a celebration of stepping outside of the previous confines of fashion. It’s honestly hard to capture the sheer intensity of that era, but this documentary does a good job of selling it. 

The latest in Netflix’s Trainwreck series, The Cult of American Apparel features candid interviews with the big players involved in the brand’s rise and fall, including long-time staffers who were all young and hungry for success—and easily manipulated by the brand’s charismatic founder and CEO, Dov Charney. At one point, it seemed like American Apparel could only keep on skyrocketing, as its ethical American-based production and its controversial ad campaigns shook up the fashion industry. But behind the scenes was even more dramatic, as reports of Charney’s power and influence grew and his unscrupulous treatment of staff became more chaotic and horrifying. 

After spending a big chunk of the episode spotlighting this wild and weird time in fashion history, the documentary fully pulls back the curtain to reveal the dark realities of a deeply toxic work environment rife with allegations of sexual misconduct. According to the documentary, Charney has never faced allegations of abuse in a public court, and even went on to work with Yeezy after American Apparel’s collapse. Perhaps this documentary will lead to something more concrete than just a warning against his behavior—but more likely, it will serve to capture the ways in which rich, powerful men are able to continue their cycles of abuse, so long as people continue to buy what they’re selling.