Fashion Influential #93: Dov Charney
Photo by Poder MagazineDOV CHARNEY
Born: January 31, 1969, Montreal, Canada
Occupation: President and CEO of American Apparel Inc.
Salary: $750,000 / year
Fan of: Quality minimalist clothing
Big Deal: Sold American Apparel for $360 million in December, 2006
Beginnings.
Charney was a t-shirt hawker from the beginning. He claims to have smuggled as many as 10,000 American-made t-shirts at a time across the Canadian boarder for purposes of reselling - as a Quebec high school student. He would later drop out of Tufts to pursue the t-shirt manufacturing business full time and by 1991, had started American Apparel.
Career Highs.
In 2000, American Apparel moved into its downtown Los Angeles 800,000 square foot factory. Six years later, Charney sold the company for $360 million to the publicly listed Endeavor Acquisition company (though he remains its CEO and majority shareholder).
I think for a designer to be in his underwear when he's designing underwear is quite common. And I'm in my underwear in my office all the time.
- Dov Charney
Walk the walk, my man.Career Lows.Charney has been the subject of 5 sexual harassment lawsuits, but it was a 2004 article in Jane that drew most attention to the eccentric clothier. Claudine Ko, the piece’s author, wrote an explicit essay about multiple sexual exchanges with Dov, but it did little more than fuel the public’s growing fascination with Charney, who responded to the piece by saying he believed the acts had been consensual and private.
Legacy.
The simple, minimalist look with forever be in style. Charney just capitalized on it by making it affordable, comfortable, and most importantly, made in America. In 3 years, 143 American Apparel stores have opened in 11 countries (from Los Angeles to Tokyo) and have grossed over $300 million last year, making it the fastest retail roll-out in American history.
American Apparel adGet the Look.
American Apparel has stores in big cities and college towns throughout the country. Head in for a pair of gold lamé leggings or a swifty unitard. If you want a Charney-specific look, you'll have to have a lot of facial hair to work with. Start growing, then trim until you look like a '70s porn star.
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