American Apparel have a habit of using amateur style pornographic photography featuring young, vacant looking girls in pornographic poses to sell their products which are usually far removed from the overt sexuality of the photograph. In many of their photos, as well as many women being completely topless and almost nude, Large focus is put onto the groin, and in many photos sexuality and submission are emphasised. American Apparel is a brand for young people and it doesn't take more than a couple of clicks to discover these types of photographs taken by photographer Dov Charney, 44.

 

American Apparel project much of their focus on keeping their clothes sweatshop free. So, why don't they focus on having cleaner, more appropriate imagery. Their current images will be falling into the hands of many impressionable young girls.

'What I don’t like is the underlying reality that Dov Charney is a 44 year old man taking pictures of young girls in seemingly unchaperoned, slightly seedy situations. It’s uncomfortable viewing at best.' Source: Messy Nessy Chic

 

“(Charney) regularly refers to female employees as ‘sluts’ and ‘whores.’ ‘Some of us love sluts,’ he said by way of defense in a recent deposition. ‘It could be also be an endearing term.’”—The Times Online “In the course of an interview with (Claudine Ko of Jane Magazine), Charney wiggled in his desk chair, loosened his Pierre Cardin belt and inquired, ‘Can I?’ Without pausing for an answer, he hoiked his trousers down and proceeded to, well, you know, all the while chatting away about AAs business forecast for the coming year. The reporter dished in her piece, claiming Charney had pleasured himself in front of her ‘eight or so times’ and that she also witnessed him request oral sex from an employee, who obliged.”—The Times Online

 

“Women accused Charney of exposing himself to them. One woman said he invited her to masturbate with him and that he ran business meetings at his Los Angeles home wearing close to nothing. Another employee said he asked her to hire young women with whom he could have sex. All of the women filing suit described Charney using ‘foul language’ in their presence, much of it demeaning to women.”—Knowmore.com

Read about the worst of Dov Charney here- and yes, he has been taken to court before: http://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/the-worst-of-dov-charney

http://www.buzzfeed.com/fashionista/american-apparels-dov-charney-accused-of-us-wks

 

You can view the photos live on their website here: (there are over 900 ads):

• Floy Gaidarski- a petition signer: 'Depicting young girls in sexual and submissive positions to sell clothing forms harmful schematic gender roles for impressionable young girls and boys.'

 

 

You can view their picture gallery here, (over 900 ads):

http://www.americanapparel.net/advertising/

You can make a complaint about any of their adverts here:

http://www.asa.org.uk/Consumers/How-to-complain/Online-Form/Step1.aspx

Sources:

http://www.messynessychic.com/2011/01/12/how-awkwardly-pornographic-can-the-american-apparel-ad-campaigns-get/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/10/american-apparel-asa-banned-ads_n_3051751.html

 http://www.menafn.com/75379e28-505a-4c4d-8394-0cf486b06f9d/American-Apparel-continues-to-sexualize-women?src=main

This is what American Apparel say about their advertising:

The American Apparel advertising campaign has become as synonymous with our brand name as the signature Made in the USA basics that first put us on the map. Our vertically integrated business model means that every aspect of our operation, from design to distribution, is done in-house. The majority of our creative content is conceived somewhere between the 2nd floor and the factory rooftop, and overseen by our founder and CEO, Dov Charney, who first introduced our un-airbrushed aesthetic more than a decade ago.

We find our models all over the world, through online submissions, word of mouth, and in retail stores, where we've been known to do an impromptu test shoot or two. Our ads have always been indicative of a time and place in American Apparel's identity, which has evolved into a 12,000 employee worldwide collaboration. Explore the online ad archives for a closer look at our ads featuring models, factory inner-workings and the global vernacular that inspires us.