On June 14, Los Angeles-based clothing manufacturer American Apparel issued a statement in response to allegations by Gawker.com that it hires retail employees based on their physical attractiveness. American Apparel’s response is directly reproduced below:
“A Statement about Hiring from American Apparel
In light of recent erroneous online coverage of American Apparel’s hiring and retention policies we are issuing this brief statement to clarify:
American Apparel does not hire or retain applicants based on ‘beauty.’ Our main priority is finding people with a strong sense of style who can inspire customers as they make selections from our extensive line. This is an integral part of the job, and we look for people who will enjoy it as a creative outlet. It has never been the policy of American Apparel, as some blogs claim, to fire employees who are not “good looking” or any of the other accusations implied by the anonymous or unverified third party sources. The company legitimately reviews current photographs of job applicants and employees to consider their sense of style and the way in which they present themselves. Through personal interviews, we evaluate whether they possess the skills and personality required to successfully sell our products. This is a standard practice among fashion-forward retailers.
American Apparel has built itself on being open and honest, so we’re happy to answer questions and personally address the concerns of anyone interested in having a dialog. You can reach our CEO directly at 213-923-7943 or at [email protected]. And to address what has been most lost in this discussion, American Apparel is in fact continuing to hire in a major way (over 1,000 factory workers in recent weeks alone and hundreds more for retail internationally). We always accept resumes, and of course photos showing your personal style, either online or at one of our open calls worldwide.”
About American Apparel
American Apparel is a vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor and retailer, based in downtown Los Angeles. It currently employs approximately 10,000 people globally (about 5,000 in Los Angeles), and operate more than 285 retail stores in 20 countries.
Within its business model, knitting, dyeing, cutting, sewing, photography, marketing, distribution and design all happen in the company’s facilities in Los Angeles. The company operates the largest garment factory in the United States, at a time when most apparel production has moved offshore. With our recently opened stores in China, we are now selling Made in USA clothing in the largest consumer market in the world.
American Apparel leverages art, design and technology to advance the business process, while continuing to pioneer industry standards of social and environmental responsibility in the workplace. For more information, visit www.americanapparel.net.
