The shocking scandal of American Apparel ‘cult’ unraveled in new Netflix documentary

American Apparel is under the microscope after Netflix dropped a new documentary delving into the scandal behind the scenes at the popular clothing brand.

Last week, the streaming giant left viewers in a state of astonishment by their programme Poop Cruise, which told the horrifying real-life story of passengers who were stuck on a cruise without working toilets for days.

Now, the platform has released the next instalment in its Trainwreck documentary series –  The Cult of American Apparel.

Directed by Sally Rose Griffiths, the new one-hour documentary looks to ‘reveal the sinister side of the brand’, diving into the rise and fall of the once-popular clothing retailer.

Behind the all-American noughties image, the programme paints a picture of a breakneck and sometimes toxic workplace culture, under the leadership of CEO Dov Charney.

As one interviewee says in the documentary: ‘It was a fashion cult and Dov was the leader.’

After founding American Apparel in 1989 while still a student at Tufts University, Charney dropped out to pursue a career in fashion full-time.

The now 56-year-old’s time at the company came to an acrimonious end when he was sacked in 2014 amid allegations of sexual harassment and abuse. He has denied all wrongdoing.

Described as a ‘flamboyant, Canadian-born, LA clothing entrepreneur’, the initial impression of Charney is as a man determined to combat the rise of the sweatshop with ethically made clothing.

All the allegations made against American Apparel boss Dov Charney

The Netflix documentary features footage, research and firsthand accounts from former employees. Audio snippets feature Charney calling employees ‘fool of the week’ and other verbal attacks.

In addition to accusations of a hostile workplace, Charney has faced multiple accusations of sexual harassment from former female employees. Charney has repeatedly denied all allegations. 

In the documentary footage, he’s seen speaking about sexual experiences with employees at the time. It also shows a video of Charney walking naked in front of two female employees.

‘It was definitely an open secret that Dov was sleeping with the employees,’ Carson, a former American Apparel worker, tells the Netflix cameras.

The Netflix documentary claims that these cases were dismissed in court due to confidentiality agreements that employees had signed.

The American Apparel board eventually launched an investigation into Charney’s behaviour and first suspended him for ‘alleged misconduct and violations of company policy’, before subsequently firing him in 2014.

In a statement to Entertainment Weekly regarding the documentary, a spokesperson for Charney said that in spite of the Netflix programme’s narrative, ‘Charney has never been found liable for any misconduct — sexual harassment or otherwise — by any judge, jury, arbitrator, or independent investigation. 

The statement continued: ‘Unfortunately, the Netflix documentary grossly misrepresents the story of American Apparel and Charney, relying on paid actors to emotionally restate long-disproven allegations.

‘No credible insiders — including Charney himself — participated in the production. One can only hope the full, unvarnished story of American Apparel and the forces behind its downfall will one day be told.’

Why was American Apparel so popular and is it still in business?

American Apparel became known for its cheeky ad campaigns, which often included young women in provocative poses. An interviewee in the documentary described the ads as ‘basically softcore porn’.

The brand championed wardrobe basics and embraced the indie sleeve aesthetic, while also promoting itself as a sustainable option, with the tagline ‘Ethically Made — Sweatshop Free’.

However, as times and fashions have changed, American Apparel fell out of favour. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016.

It was bought in 2017 by Canadian sportswear manufacturer Gildan Activewear. The new owners closed all 281 stores and relaunched American Apparel as an online-only brand. The website claims American Apparel is ‘committed to leading ethical and sustainable practices’.

What are Netflix viewers saying about the American Apparel documentary?

Given that the documentary currently sits at the second spot on the top film ranking on Netflix, it’s clear that subscribers are tuning in. They’re also been sharing their reactions on X, with many saying it brought them back to being regulars at the stores in their heyday.

@itsMarciaAgain wrote: ‘Watching this American Apparel documentary I vividly remember shopping there esp when I visited Miami. What a time!’

@tiffnotjustany added: ‘Omggg the American Apparel era… You just had to be there!’

Meanwhile, @justfaith___ and others agreed the documentary was a crazy watch, writing: ‘American Apparel being a cult is news to meeee.’

@ndulceee added: ‘That American Apparel documentary was crazy!’ @MsJah_ echoed: ‘The cult of American Apparel on Netflix. Crazy.’

Metro contacted Dov Charney for further comment.

Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel is available to stream on Netflix.