American Apparel Fashion Jobs

Not very long ago, Dov Charney sold some T-shirts at an art event and made $1,500 in a day. He kept selling the T-shirts, and today he has more than 40 stores worldwide, providing thousands of fashion jobs, most of which are based in Los Angeles at the American Apparel factory.

Fashion Jobs at American Apparel

A successful fashion career is often sparked by a happy collision with the zeitgeist. American Apparel, and its creator Charney, project a hipster sexuality that seems to reject conventionality without really questioning it. It's a delayed teenage rebellion that stays firmly within the shopping mall (and wouldn't be out of place on the popular TV show, The O.C.)

Anti-Sweatshop Fashion Careers

That's a good thing because many of us shop in malls or love The O.C. And these latest fashion battles reflect themes that are played out on the show. American Apparel's art-school "come hither" chic versus Abercrombie's yuppiedom with zest.

Beneath the hype, American Apparel makes a stated effort to offer fashion jobs and fashion careers with respectable wages, good health care, English classes for Spanish-speaking factory workers, and a possibility to advance. Beyond grungy sexiness, American Apparel sells itself as the anti-sweat shop fashion line.

Fashion Careers Can Bring Back Old Favorites

It seems to be working. As long as the charismatic Dov Charney is there to hype the brand, consumers the world over seem willing to fork over extra cash for Amercan Apparel T-shirts and underwear. A pair of 'tightie whitie' underwear, which Charney is credited with making cool again, costs $12.

Fashion Jobs in a Sexy Environment

American Apparel is not perfect, however. The company has received three sexual harassment lawsuits, placed by workers uncomfortable with the sexually charged brand world that fuels American Apparel's success.

Now the company has new hires sign an agreement where they accept working in a company that unabashedly embraces the truism that, yes, sex indeed sells. To many of the thousands of workers with fashion careers at the company, the agreement seems a small sacrifice.

Source
New York Times