Results tagged “americanapparel”

Last week an anonymous employee of the American Apparel empire spoke out against Dov Charney's lookist views, saying that recently the CEO was demanding staff photos from each branch and firing the uglies. As the anonymous employee told it, he thought it was hurting his bottom line. Meanwhile, another employee agreed with this statement in our comments, saying that the incident didn't even "grasp the magnitude of the company's dehumanizing policies." Soon after, an HR flack seemed to have searched his last name in the company database, replying to his comment with a first name he never revealed, and seemingly scaremongering him into saying that maybe this wasn't true after all. What a deep-v meshed web of confusion that's being weaved in the sweatshop-free company! But now Charney speaks out himself, saying, "At American Apparel, we strive to hire salespeople who have an enthusiasm for fashion and retail and who themselves have good fashion sense. But this does not necessarily mean they have to be physically attractive." Well, he did use Woody Allen on a billboard. [via Gawker]

While it's probably not too unbelievable that American Apparel has a certain aesthetic they like to portray to their legions of customers donning mesh v-necks, it may be more surprising to hear that... actually this isn't that surprising either. According to a Gawker tipster, Dov Charney "is demanding the firing of employees he deems unattractive and thus detrimental" to said aesthetic.

Okay, so this isn't the real Dov Charney, but we're going to assume it's pretty close. The parody was written and directed by UCB's Todd Bieber—be sure to watch the whole video for whispered lexical gems like, "I want you to know that you can trust me, okay?"

Following yesterday's announcement that American Apparel settled the lawsuit Woody Allen filed against them for $5 million, the director now speaks out about Dov Charney & Co. Upon leaving the courthouse yesterday he said, "It's, of course, possible by going through the trial a jury might have awarded me more money, but this is not how I make my living" (the NY Post points out it is, however, more money than Vicky Cristina Barcelona made during it's opening weekend, by about $1.5 million more). He's hoping the big payout will discourage other companies from illegally using his image, even though Charney has insisted he wasn't using him to sell product. While American Apparel's head honcho would like to meet the director on friendlier terms, it's unlikely Allen would ever allow it. He told the press yesterday, "Threats and press leaks by American Apparel designed to smear me did not work, and a scheme to call a long list of witnesses who had absolutely nothing to do with the case was also disallowed by the court. I suspect this dose of legal reality led to their 11th-hour settlement." Aaaaand scene.

Sadly, the world won't see Woody Allen face off with Dov Charney in a courtroom. Not today, at least. American Apparel has posted the following statement on their website: "Today the lawsuit filed against American Apparel by Woody Allen will settle whereby he will receive a $5M payment. The vast majority of this payment will be paid by our insurance carrier who is responsible for the decision to settle this case and has controlled the defense of this case since its inception. Naturally there is some relief of not having to go through a trial but I also harbor a sense of remorse and sadness for not arguing an important issue regarding the First Amendment, particularly the ability of an individual or corporation to invoke the likeness of a public figure in a satiric and social statement."

In Hustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell, The Supreme Court of the United States unanimously proclaimed: "At the heart of the First Amendment is the recognition of the fundamental importance of the free flow of ideas and opinions on matters of public interest and concern. The freedom to speak one's mind is not only an aspect of individual liberty - and thus a good unto itself - but also is essential to the common quest for truth and the vitality of society as a whole. We have therefore been particularly vigilant to ensure that individual expressions of ideas remain free from governmentally imposed sanctions."Of course, using Hustler as an example when you're trying to prove you aren't a barely legal loving perv isn't exactly the way to go (nor is flooding the internet with images like the above), but we do agree with this whole First Amendment thing. However, is it really possible that Mr. Charney was using Woody Allen as a way to draw parallels to his own public image, and not to, like, sell things? It's sort of an outdated comparison, and Charney's mesh tanks aren't exactly on par with cinematic classics like Annie Hall. What do you think?

Chalk one up for Woody Allen, a judge ruled that he doesn't have to justify his opinion that American Apparel ads are "sleazy," the NY Post reports. The company had wanted the director to back up his accusations by identifying specific ads he found distasteful, and as much as we'd love to picture a scenario in which Woody Allen brings in stacks of past Micro-Mesh campaigns into a courtroom, that request was ridiculous. (American Apparel, need we remind you of the 40-foot beaver shot or the giant rape ad?) As such, Manhattan federal Judge Thomas Griesa ruled that Allen has clearly shown "he would not have voluntarily agreed to endorse" the company's products. The case goes to court on May 18th, and last week we received an internal memo from an employee at American Apparel that attempted to express the company's point of view on all this.

Yesterday more court papers were filed for the upcoming American Apparel/Woody Allen showdown, and the NY Post's Cindy Adams thinks it's going to get uglier than a Nylon Spandex Micro-Mesh Bodysuit.

Woody Allen, Dov Charney and young women go together like legwarmers, metallic spandex tights and a deep v-neck tee, yet the battle between Woody Allen and American Apparel continues! After the company used the director's image (without permission) on one of their billboard campaigns, he filed a $10 million lawsuit saying it damaged his reputation. He called the company "sleazy" amongst other things, and the company retaliated noting that he already tarnished his image when he married his young stepdaughter, Soon-Yi Previn. WCBS now reports that "Lawyers for American Apparel have complained that Allen has refused to turn over much of the information they have demanded to prepare for trial. Among their demands were documents concerning any endorsement requests that were withdrawn after the sex scandal with Farrow and Previn became public." The request included nude photos Allen allegedly took of Soon-Yi Previn—but don't get your hopes up Charney, his lawyers say that request is not relevant to the case.

Last year Woody Allen filed a $10 million suit against American Apparel after they used his image (taken from Annie Hall) on their billboards in 2007, explaining at the time that he doesn't promote products in the U.S. This has now pit creepy underage-girl-loving Dov Charney against Allen, who clearly cannot relate to anything remotely, um, unconventional. He is calling the company, amongst other things, "sleazy, adolescent, and infantile," according to the NY Post. The tabloid also reports that yesterday American Apparel verbally retaliated "by demanding records showing whether his 'highly publicized sex scandal and custody battle' involving ex-girlfriend Mia Farrow and her adopted daughter Soon-Yi—Woody's current wife—had affected his earnings." Can there even be any winners in this case? (Besides Rupert Murdoch, of course.)

Two weeks ago Eater reported that 34 Avenue A, the space that held Mo Pitkin's -- which closed earlier this year, is now in contract. Since there's a transferable liquor license which goes along with the keys to the joint (described as a perfect multi-use space), it will likely become another bar/venue/club...but one prankster is suggesting otherwise.

Staring down the barrel of a $10 million lawsuit, American Apparel has spoken out about their billboard displaying Woody Allen's image (circa Annie Hall). Chances are the law will find them about as innocent as their barely-dressed teen models.

Last year Woody Allen kicked off the scantily clad teen models usually draped over American Apparel billboards, and seemingly made himself the new face of Dov Charney's clothing empire. In both LA and NYC, his image (taken from Annie Hall) hung above city streets along with Yiddish writing paired up with their logo.

Remember when one of the many American Apparel ads on Allen and Houston was defaced with the words "Gee, I wonder why women get raped"? The ad was replaced with a new one soon after, and not much more was heard about the mystery messenger. Until now. Yesterday Jezebel received an email from someone purporting to be the one who held the spray can. He stated:

First off, i'm not a graf writer. Honestly, I was just reacting to the constantly degrading images of women that AA creates. That ad in particular - headless, bent over, composed so that the focus was irrefutable... I went home, grabbed some spraypaint, took the train back and waited until 4am to climb the scaffolding.

Continue reading "American Apparel Ad Defacer Unmasked, Sort of"

Over the weekend yet another production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic, Cats, closed. This hipster-ized version of the legendary musical used American Apparel styling for their look, and it all went down on Broadway...that's 1100 Broadway in the 11211 zip code. ArtCal points out that because the original Cats "ran parallel with corporate and municipal efforts to 'clean up Broadway' for big business," these hipster cats may be trying to make a point. Though they add they may not know what, exactly, as the troupe operates "in a mode of an ironic traipsing around social issues while remaining politically invested in... something."

Notice anything funny about the Calvin Klein billboard below? No, not the hot pink splashing. The giant ad that hangs above Lafayette and Houston has a secret in the "negative space" left by the splashed paint. The silhouette is of the new New Museum building on Bowery. Here is what the billboard looked like over the past few days up until last night: And as Josh Spear pointed out yesterday a "stage 3 reveal" took...

Could American Apparel have a better location for their advertising than the corner of Allen and Houston? Their ads in the location has made some members of the community upset and may have caused The Splasher to return from hibernation. And they have the echo-chamber that is the NY blog community talking about their "racy" ads all the time. Indeed, any publicity is good publicity.

Need a last minute costume idea and in a New York state of mind? Here are a few NYC-themed ideas for your Halloween fête...

Last month, we mentioned that some Lower East Side and East Village residents were upset with the American Apparel billboard on Allen Street showing a topless woman's backside and legging-clad gams. Now GammaBlog took this picture of the now-defaced billboard.

If the ghosts of Timothy Leary and Nam June Paik collaborated with Kraftwerk and some dancers to make dinner theater aboard a spaceship to The Pleiades, it might feel something like OutMigration, the immersive dining/video/performance experience happening at Williamsburg’s Monkeytown through Sunday. $70 gets you an elaborate 12-course tasting menu, with wine pairings, prepared by chef Ryan Jaronik (formerly the executive chef at Boston’s beloved Masa). Before entering the intimate performance/dinner space, our group was cautioned against reading the program to learn what we were eating; the idea was for us to surrender to a bewildering new sensory world without any preconceived notions, man. (Uptight squares and those with food allergies can check the menus here; there are spoilers after the jump.)

You may or may not have noticed that it's Fashion Week -- either way, style is saturating the city right now more than ever, and we've asked Faran Krentcil to help us figure the whole thing out. She who holds down the fort at Fashionista.com fills us in on The Tents, the trends and the tricks.

If you like butts and you cannot lie, Allen and Houston might be the place for you. Then again, maybe the butt and legs pictured in American Apparel's new billboard aren't your cup of tea. Astute readers (or LES residents) may remember the "beaver shot" that previously adorned the corner.

The Observer people watches the people watchers this week with a piece on The Bench. Almost too ridiculous to report on, the Lower East Side American Apparel happens to have a hot spot outside of its windows which has become the "epicenter of perhaps the hottest 'anti-scene' scene on Saturday nights." Exactly the kind of thing you'd expect to be forged outside of an American Apparel, it even has founders - including DJ Big Black Matt Goias, and a MySpace profile.

The NY Times takes a look at Smith Street and the corporate companies creeping into the area and setting up shop. The most recent big announcement is that Trader Joe's is taking over the old bank on Atlantic Avenue and Court Street. How long until more big fish come to feed?

Holy Crap! The Virtual LES launched! Words cannot describe, friends (speaking of which, let's be BFFs!). Clearly this is not meant for people who actually frequent the actual Lower East Side, but rather the people who read their blogs. Seeing all the places in creepy second life 3-D is pure Twilight Zone stuff. Highlights so far, while briefly browsing around the site are that you can shop at the Virtual American Apparel, attend virtual gigs like Leo Fitzpatrick DJing at the Virtual Darkroom and Against Me! playing the Virtual Cake Shop (so there, btw.) Best might be the descriptions of the clubs on this page. In particular, "Max Fish is to Lower East Side bars what the Smithsonian Institute is to American museums." Classic.

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a shooting on Rivington St. in Manhattan, a fatal stabbing on Malcolm X Blvd. in Brooklyn, and a stabbing on 102nd St. and Corona Ave. in Queens.
• Cobble Hill residents on Douglass St. will no longer be able to save on their electric bills by relying on the super-bright lights of American Apparel as their street-level reading lamps. The retailer is turning them off and neighbors must now fend for themselves.
• The revamping of Union Square Park means that the the two painted labrynths and one maze at the north end of the park will be history. Their creator is willing to bargain: "I'd settle for one!"
• A scholar from The New School has been charged by an Iranian court with being a spy.
• The Daily News reports that getting drunk and having sex with someone you just met in a bar can have unintended consequences.
• The New York Times offers advice on how best to catch a largemouth bass in Brooklyn's Prospect Park.
• A man with a highly drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis is being treated at Bellevue Hospital after possibly exposing other trans-Atlantic air travellers to the disease.
• Are NYC cabdrivers the subjects of a hack crimewave?

Walking around town the last few days, we've noticed a bunch of recently defaced streetart pieces. These might be the work of The Splasher, but if you look closely, you can see that something has changed: the paint has been applied with a brush! That's right-- either the Splasher needs a new moniker, or he has inspired a copycat.

Does anyone else think this American Apparel ad is just too slutty, even for the Lower East Side? It must be hard for the people across the street to stare at a 40 ft beaver shot day in and day out.

Is Dov Charney more than the perverted genius behind American Apparel? Imnotsayin came close to catching the Splasher in action in Williamsburg, when he found what seemed like a freshly pasted Splasher manifesto with paint splashed on it. When he closely inspected the pasted signs, Imnotsayin found that the paint was actually pre-printed on the manifesto and there's an American Apparel ad with a half-naked guy and a paint splash printed onto the poster as well. Here's his theory, which actually makes some sense:

American Apparel IS the Splasher. Their clever marketing department cooked up the original Manifesto and began posting it and splashing prominent Faile, Obey, Banksy, etc works in key AA neighborhoods - the Lower East Side and Williamsburg, knowing it would spark a controversy among hipsters and artists.

Continue reading "Is The Splasher Really American Apparel?"

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