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American Apparel has hired an all-female executive team to help it rebrand

American Apparel 2018
WORDS BY Veronica Stanford

Images via American Apparel

A fresh start.

American Apparel was always a little behind the times when it came to its marketing strategy. Helmed by founder and accused sexual predator Dov Charney, it fought off criticism about sexist depictions of women for years before its bankruptcy.

Since its relaunch under the ownership of Gildan, AA is hoping to re-angle itself as a conscious label that continues the progression of the fashion industry.

It’s now being run by an all-female executive team, who are aiming to target millennials and Gen Z. According to head of marketing, Sabina Weber, the brand is working to show inclusivity, and portray females (and males) in a way that’s sexy but not sexualised.

“You can see from the directness of the gaze, the poses and just the overall vibe compared to the past imagery that [the models] are in control. It feels positive rather than ‘uncomfortable’,” she told Hypebae in a recent interview.

“Our models now are generally over 21 and we have shifted the dynamic of the relationship of the people in the images with the photographer. Our photographers are now a mix of male and female. The girls and guys look right at the camera and feel empowered to be sexy and strong.”

Aside from changing the brand’s approach to photography, AA has expanded its size offering, now running from XXS to 2XL in key designs. According to Sabina, the sizing has also been adjusted to be more inclusive (it used to run small).

“We do stand for something and every person who worked on the relaunch believes in those things: diversity, equality, freedom of expression, empowerment, positive sexuality, celebrating all shapes, sizes and colours. If you are a shopper that takes offence at seeing side-boob and a nice booty, you are probably not going to buy our product.”

americanapparel.com

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