The Cult of American Apparel: Revealing the Man Behind the Billboards

“Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel” is a recent addition to Netflix that delves into the rise and fall of the infamous fashion brand and its controversial leader. In the early 2000s, American Apparel billboards featuring scantily clad young women were hard to miss in Los Angeles. While the clothing on display was minimal, the amateurish photos and voyeuristic nature of the ads raised eyebrows. The documentary sheds light on the dark underbelly of the company, led by founder and CEO Dov Charney, through interviews, research, and footage from former employees.

The film is part of a Netflix series that explores messy and scandalous stories, offering a closer look at the troubling culture at American Apparel and Charney’s involvement in its downfall. From the company’s humble beginnings in 1989 to its bankruptcy in 2015, the documentary traces the trajectory of American Apparel as it gained fame for its ‘Ethically Made – Sweatshop Free’ ethos. Despite its initial success, the brand soon became known for its controversial advertising and edgy image that resonated with a new era of social media users.