Not everything is sunshine and happiness with the company. There is talk of American Apparel squashing union uprisings with employees, Woody Allen sued to the company for using a couple stills from his movie Annie Hall, and the company has been criticized for it’s airbrushing of models in their advertising.
But all of these things seem to small by comparison to the current state of U.S. companies.
Dov Charney, who named Ernst & Young’s 2004 Entrepreneur of the Year, has mad a company that employs Americans who make products here in America. And along the way has used the success of the company to make social statements that benefit this country.
I’m not saying that Charney shouldn’t be held to legal standards, having staff meetings in the nude is probably not the best idea, and obviously can create an uncomfortable working conditions, but let’s weight out the good and the bad. I’m sure Charney will put on his pants when asked. And in the meantime, let’s look to Charney as an example of what we want American companies to be.
Even their website shopping is powered by Yahoo, an American company in desperate need of this type of client.
When we look to those auto makers that can’t even go to beg for money without flying on private jets, lets consider that there are CEO’s that remember what it means to be an American business. Innovation, fairness, awareness and hard work. Is Dov Charney crazy or a genius? He’s a little both, and a patriot.
Check out this ad for the American Apparel Tap Panty
Those things are very small in comparison. Sued by Woody Allen? If he can’t take a joke, screw him. Charney holding meetings in the nude is a well know (and FALSE) urban legend cooked up in some lawsuits. The pure logistics of someone pulling that off and being sued only once is ridiculous. It’s funny but at the same time, a very serious charge that is affecting the stock price without justification.
Great piece.
@Andy Thanks for the comment. I agree that the whole ‘meetings in the nude’ thing sound crazy. It reminds me of the Po Bronson book, ‘The Nudist on the Late Shift’.
Thanks for the mention! You can find some great PETA/American Apparel gear here: http://www.petacatalog.org/prodinfo.asp?number=TS235