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American Apparel Founder Dov Charney: Sexual Conduct Unbecoming

by Tina Kells | January 21, 2009 at 01:35 pm

1180 views | 14 Recommendations | 4 comments

Earlier this week I wrote a brief story about a West Vancouver mother, Trina Campbell, who was outraged after discovering a gay porn magazine called BUTT in the backback of a display mannequin at the American Apparel store in Park Royal Mall. Campbell was shopping with her 13-year old daughter when the prominently displayed copy of BUTT magazine caught her eye.

When I drew attention to her story I had no idea just how deeply entrenched the American Apparel name was with unsavory displays of human sexuality. Sure, I knew that the company's ad campaigns pushed the limits of using sex to sell but I never dreamed that these ad campaigns hinted to anything more sinister than plain old fashioned shock marketing.

Wow, was I wrong!

In the comment stream of my article a NowPublic member made note of a companion story that ran in the Vancouver Sun on January 15. The Sun reporter, Daphne Bramham discussed the Trina Campbell incident under the broader scope of the corporate culture at American Apparel as propagated by Montreal based company founder Dov Charney.

American Apparel applauds itself for its strong sense of social responsibility. It uses environmentally friendly materials guaranteed to be sweat shop free and the store fronts are often used as showcases for various social causes. What most people probably don't know is that Charney has a shocking and appalling history of sexual harassment and exhibitionism.

Daphne Bramham does an excellent job of describing Charney's objectionable behaviours in her article, Sexual harassment never goes out of fashion, and after reading her expose I, like Bramham, will never shop at American Apparel again. Read on to decide whether or not you will continue to support at this "socially responsible" company.

Charney founded the company in 2003 and since then it’s grown into a $172-million enterprise on the strength of marketing moderately priced t-shirts, skirts and underwear as sexy, edgy and hip.
For year, competitors for years have accused Charney of being a soft-core pornographer because of the images he shoots and uses in ads.

Charney is a . . . well, my editor wouldn’t let me use that adjective, so you can fill in your own after you read the next few paragraphs, which come with a warning that they may not be suitable for children.

Charney masturbated several times and even had oral sex in front of journalist Claudine Ko, who wrote in July 2004 for the now defunct magazine, Jane.

Charney makes no apologies for calling female employees the C-word or sluts. The employee handbook warns that employees working in creative areas “will come into contact with sexually charged language and visual images. This is part of the job.”

Charney, who frequently only wears underwear in the workplace, has had five sexual harassment suits against him in the past three years. Four have been settled. In the one filed in June 2008, the employee says Charney ordered her to simulate masturbation in front of him. When the woman refused, Charney got her supervisor to do it. Then, Charney simulated an oral sex act with the man.

American Apparel may not be made in a sweatshop, but there’s no room for it in my closet or my stock portfolio.

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EMENES

at 19:11 on January 21st, 2009

Just took a photo while strollin' through Melrose.

EMENES has contributed a photo to this story.

158

at 19:43 on January 21st, 2009

Certainly a strange person.

Barry Artiste

at 21:31 on January 21st, 2009

A Whacko to rival Jacko

stop masturbation (not verified)

at 06:48 on July 24th, 2009

Charney is one perverted guy! I hope the lady who last filed a lawsuit against him will pursue it and pray that the others who were sexually harassed by Charney would surface and pin him down. A sexual offender like that is not safe to be out on the streets.