Screengrab: losangelesapparel.net
In case you haven’t heard, Dov Charney has been somewhat quietly toiling away at his post-American Apparel project, Los Angeles Apparel, for a few years now. In name, aesthetic and ethos it is…extremely similar to American Apparel, which he founded in 1989 and was ousted from in 2014 over allegations of misconduct
Los Angeles Apparel manufactures its products in the South Central area of L.A., and amid the current coronavirus crises, Charney has offered up its workforce and management team of “over 450 people” to manufacture masks or other medical products for “any government agency,” per a post on the brand’s Instagram uploaded Sunday night, which even includes Charney’s cell phone number.
The brand also posted images of models and factory workers wearing versions of the 100% cotton mask the company produces, which it’s selling for $30 for a three-pack here:
Los Angeles Apparel has been in operation since at least 2016, functioning as a wholesale business, producing items like T-shirts and sweatshirts for third parties, but seems to have recently ramped up consumer-facing marketing.
In its heyday under Charney’s leadership, American Apparel often took on social issues like immigration reform and LGBTQ rights; this latest move by the business leader suggests he may hope to do the same with his latest company.
His announcement follows news that LVMH would be using its Perfumes & Cosmetics production facilities to manufacture hand sanitizer for free for French health authorities. It will be interesting to see if the offering up of production resources will continue to be a popular way for fashion companies to respond to the spread of coronavirus.
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