A godsend or just Hanes with a bigger price tag and a better 401K plan?For those of you mall rats stuck in 1998, American Apparel is one of those brands that is just SO popular with the kids these days. Their stores have a certain draw quality that tempts you with their colorful mannequins and the simple, no-nonsense logo. And I am nothing if not an aficionada of no-nonsense marketing. They also have everything in like, forty-seven colors...which is a definite advantage over Hanes' rainbow of grey, white, black and slightly darker grey. Some colors may not have even existed before being created in American Apparel's secret laboratories. This t-shirt above may not be representative of the colorful palette but it certainly looks great on the adorable, fake-nerdy model. I am restraining myself from ordering it (and a lensless pair of over-sized eyeglasses) right now.
Aside from near-perfect marketing toward their target demographic: me, American also Apparel boasts a pro-immigration campaign called Legalize L.A. Legalize L.A. seems like a nonthreatening marketing campaign calling for immigration law reform. In concurrence with those politics, they also produce all of their garments under one roof in L.A. (yeah, ALL of 'em). In an industry like commercial retail and manufacturing, this is rare if not exclusive to this crazy company. This allows them to strictly monitor their own fair labor practices and keep their shop free of...well, sweat.
Yes, use your consumer capital to "vote" for ethical and environmental responsibility. Support the American workforce by handing over a little more cash...it's easy once they have you trapped in their 100% cotton lair. They end up convincing you that $18 is a perfectly reasonable price for a plain white t-shirt that is so thin you could use it to strain curds from whey. But, in all seriousness, I will not argue with fair labor practices. Great marketing schemes, great human rights record and even great overpriced vintage eye wear keep the hipsters shopping at American Apparel.
On the flip side, after a few easy, breezy T-shirt purchases, they will further corrupt you into buying a silver lamé catsuit, which is, in my experience, unpardonable.
What's your take on American Apparel?
