• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Former U.S. Secret Service agent says bringing your authentic self to work stifles teamwork: 'You don’t get high performers, you get sloppiness'

2

A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'

3

Former VP Kamala Harris says she went through a nine-hour interview to land the job—but she couldn’t escape ‘gold medal depression’ even when she won

1

Former U.S. Secret Service agent says bringing your authentic self to work stifles teamwork: 'You don’t get high performers, you get sloppiness'

2

A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'

3

Former VP Kamala Harris says she went through a nine-hour interview to land the job—but she couldn’t escape ‘gold medal depression’ even when she won
RetailCorporate turnaround

American Apparel $1 billion road map: less sex, better products and stores

Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 9, 2015, 6:09 PM ET
Courtesy of American Apparel
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Even as it continues to wage battle with its founder and former CEO Dov Charney, American Apparel has laid out a road map to grow to become a $1 billion brand: a lot less sexual innuendo, and far better merchandise.

The fashion retailer fired Charney last year and has accused him of, among other things, misconduct with employees and mismanaging the company, which saw revenue fall 4% to $609 million in 2014. (When stripping out the effect of new stores or closed stores, the drop was 6%.)

Hedge fund Standard General, which is the retailer’s largest shareholder, has brought in a new senior leadership team, including CEO Paula Schneider, who took the helm in January. The new executives have slammed Charney for offering too many different products, his infamously racy ads, and terrible financial performance. American Apparel’s medium term goal is to get sales to $700-$750 million, and eventually, up to $1 billion.

To get there, American Apparel, which management called “a socially conscious, iconic brand” in a presentation sent this week to investors, is planning to de-sex its ads in favor of more sophisticated campaigns, pare the size of its assortments, and expand in untapped markets so it relies less on cities like New York or L.A. where it’s at saturation. It’s also going for a broader clientele, all the way up to age 60.

In its filing, American Apparel said it plans to “recast the brand in a positive, inclusive, socially conscious light.” That means ditching the “nudity and blatant sexual innuendo” that was its hallmark for years but that was “offensive to many.” The new incarnation of the brand is targeted at the “confident and naturally beautiful from 16 — 60,” and aims to be “racially universal.”

But American Apparel is planning other profound though subtle changes. For one thing, it plans to hire more and new design talent to improve the fit and look of the merchandise. It plans to reduce the variety of items it sells by 30% to get more bang for its buck, and not lose money on products that flop.

The company made it clear how much improvement it thinks it can wring out of American Apparel’s operations: management wants to build the company’s first demand planning and forecasting team (a mainstay at any major retailer), and reduce the time it takes to get to market. (Very crucial when competing with fast fashion chains like H&M.)

As for its stores, big changes are coming too. American Apparel has 242 stores globally. But too many of them are in either New York or Los Angeles, or in cities where there is only one American Apparel, something the company called inefficient. Management is looking to be more deliberate when targeting a market: there has to be 400,000 people or more, and sales of any new store have to be $1.2 million. It also wants a less cluttered look in its stores.

After years of drama, and poor results (no profit since 2009), its new mission is “to be a financially sound, socially conscious, iconic brand that provides high quality American made products to consumers while maximizing stakeholder value.” A lofty, but ambitious plan.

Screen Shot 2015-06-09 at 5.18.31 PM
American Apparel

 

About the Author
Phil Wahba
By Phil WahbaSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Phil Wahba is a senior writer at Fortune primarily focused on leadership coverage, with a prior focus on retail.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

A man holds a grocery basket and walks down the aisle of a store.
RetailFood and drink
Your ‘proteinmaxxing’ is creating a whey shortage that’s ratcheting up prices and leaving snack companies to eat costs or make recipes worse
By Sasha RogelbergJune 21, 2026
14 hours ago
‘I didn’t want a refund, I didn’t want my money back’: meet a grandma who paid $485 for World Cup tickets and never got them
Travel & LeisureSoccer
‘I didn’t want a refund, I didn’t want my money back’: meet a grandma who paid $485 for World Cup tickets and never got them
By R.J. Rico, Emilie Megnien and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
1 day ago
A man helps a woman pick meat in the grocery store
EconomyFood and drink
Beef is becoming a luxury as prices stay at record highs. They likely won’t come down until 2028, says Farm Bureau
By Jacqueline MunisJune 20, 2026
2 days ago
Record revenues. Record profits. Record revenue per employee. The Fortune 500 is richer than ever—and employing fewer people
EconomyFortune 500
Record revenues. Record profits. Record revenue per employee. The Fortune 500 is richer than ever—and employing fewer people
By Claire ZillmanJune 19, 2026
3 days ago
A shopper looks at a beverage display June 4, 2026 at the Market 32 Supermarket in South Burlington, Vermont.
EconomyConsumers
Miserable K-shaped economy might actually be fading, as lower-income families bounce back, says Bank of America
By Eleanor PringleJune 19, 2026
3 days ago
Piyush Patel
Commentaryshopping
Black Friday already sorted the winners from the losers. Your industry is next
By Piyush PatelJune 19, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Former U.S. Secret Service agent says bringing your authentic self to work stifles teamwork: 'You don’t get high performers, you get sloppiness'
Success
Former U.S. Secret Service agent says bringing your authentic self to work stifles teamwork: 'You don’t get high performers, you get sloppiness'
By Sydney LakeJune 21, 2026
14 hours ago
A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
Economy
A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
By Jason MaJune 20, 2026
1 day ago
Former VP Kamala Harris says she went through a nine-hour interview to land the job—but she couldn’t escape ‘gold medal depression’ even when she won
Success
Former VP Kamala Harris says she went through a nine-hour interview to land the job—but she couldn’t escape ‘gold medal depression’ even when she won
By Emma BurleighJune 21, 2026
15 hours ago
'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
Health
'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
By Ali Swenson, Amelia Thomson-Deveaux and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
1 day ago
Tenzin Seldon: The GLP-1 boom is the biggest climate story no one is pricing in
Commentary
Tenzin Seldon: The GLP-1 boom is the biggest climate story no one is pricing in
By Tenzin SeldonJune 21, 2026
14 hours ago
NBC’s Tom Llamas climbed from 15-year-old intern to the top anchor chair—and still isn’t satisfied: ‘If you're not growing, you're dying'
Success
NBC’s Tom Llamas climbed from 15-year-old intern to the top anchor chair—and still isn’t satisfied: ‘If you're not growing, you're dying'
By Preston ForeJune 21, 2026
14 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.