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Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, is a revelatory documentary that is a part of the Trainwreck series of documentaries that sheds light on the corrupt practices within an organization. In this documentary, the focus in on American Apparel, which used to be a beloved fashion brand among youngsters, but soon fell from its height after reports of sexual harassment and toxic work environments at the hands of the company’s CEO, Dov Charney, came to light. Here are 7 moments from Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, where former workers of the company speak against the CEO.
The testimony of the intern, the statement of the HR executive, and other moments in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, where former employees spoke against the CEO
1. The photographer who called out the sexualization of young models
One important moment in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel is when an ex-staff photographer comes out and speaks openly about how Dov Charney used to force him and others to photograph young women in a provocative manner. The photographer states that he and others in the company used to feel uncomfortable during these photoshoots but were forced to comply due to the skewed power dynamic that Charney used to wield in the company. The photographer also elaborates on how the company’s aesthetic became about using “real” models and showing them in sexually suggestive poses. Many in the company believe that these photoshoots were nothing but an outlet for Charney to project his own sexual desires and he blurred the line between fashion and fetishism. This incident is an important moment in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, as it showcases how the CEO wielded absolute control and women were often exploited under him. This testimony by the photographer reveals the toxic environment of the company and how normalized such kind of behavior was. The testimonies against Charney reveal that he was deeply problematic and exploitative. The photographer further notes that even interns were used for the shoots and there was an uncomfortable environment where if anyone objected, they were thrown out. This statement sheds light on the power imbalance in the company and the cult-like submission that Charney demanded from his employees. He wanted submission and not growth.
2. A female executive mentions how there was an illusion of empowerment
One of the most revelatory moments in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel happens when a former female executive reveals how she was trapped under the guise of freedom by the CEO Dov Charney. She mentions that even though she was at a high position in the company, she was also not immune to the autocratic and exploitative practices adopted by Charney. She reveals that the CEO used to use feminist rhetoric to create a sense of empowerment among women in the company and used to boast about how he hired women and promoted body positivity. However, once women used to enter the cult-like company under the power of Charney, they used to quickly realize that Don only used the language of empowerment to trap women in the company. The former executive states that she felt empowered at first and was encouraged to be bold. However, with time, her decisions were undermined by Dov and he used sexual innuendo in a professional setting. When the ex-employee tried to protect the younger women staff and challenge Dov, she was isolated. The woman’s testimony is powerful in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, as it reveals a deeply predatorial culture within the company due to the leadership of Dov Charney. The CEO made sure that he targeted women fully and he not only objectified them, but also manipulated them with promises of false progressiveness, which was all a smokescreen.
3. The warehouse manager reveals startling details
Another important revelation happens in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, when a former warehouse manager reveals the disturbing reality of the company’s cult-like structure. His statement is important because it comes from someone who was not directly associated with the company, but still felt the toxic and manipulative environment under Dov Charney. The manager reveals that he worked for years as the backend operations manager for the company and he saw the permeating and dangerous influence that Charney had over the entire structure of the company. He wanted to handle everything, from HR to the factory floor dynamics, so that he could be the one in power. The former manager’s testimony in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, reveals that the company has a disturbing power structure. Even the employees had to show religious-like loyalty towards Charney and the CEO’s whims and fancies dictated firings and promotions. The ex-manager could see from the outside that the workers within thought that being hardworking would keep them safe from the wrath of Charney, but in reality, he was just toying with everyone. He describes the company’s structure like a cult, where any disagreement would lead to banishment. The testimony reveals that the dangerous practices within the company affected the mental health and livelihoods of hundreds of employees and it spread across multiple divisions of the business.
4. The designer’s testimony about Charney’s exploitation of boundaries
Another member from the fringes of the company, the former designer, reveals in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, how Dov Charney used to regularly exploit boundaries in the name of professional commitments and projects. The CEO used to blur professional and personal lines and what used to begin as collaborative work sessions, used to often lead to late-night texts and manipulative conversations on the part of Charney. The female ex-designer reveals that she was initially praised by the CEO and then forced to enter his inner circle and answer invasive questions about her private life. In one particular instance, the designer reveals that she was asked to model pieces herself for an ad shoot, even though she was not comfortable in front of the camera. Further, when she declined, she was intimidated and made to think that she was not a team player. She gives an emotional testimony that reveals how invasive Charney was and how his actions impacted the lives of others. The designer also reveals that Dov used validation as a form of control and if anyone saw through him and questioned him, he immediately withdrew it. Her testimony once again sheds light on how women from all divisions were exploited by Dov and were made unsure about where the professionalism ended and the exploitation began. In Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, the testimonies against Charney reveal a dangerous method of regularly using charisma and authority to test the boundaries of others, especially women.
5. The testimony of the HR employee
One of the most damning reveals in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, is by the former HR staff member of the company, who is pervy to all that goes inside the company. She reveals that her repeated attempts to address the internal complaints were shut down and she is visibly frustrated over this. Her testimony reveals that it was not just Charney who was at fault, but also the entire company, as there was no mechanism in place to safeguard the interests of the employees. The former HR member says that she used to get many complaints from the women employees, who used to share their stories of harassment, uncomfortable text messages, and inappropriate advances. However, the company had no meaningful and strong system to investigate Dov. She even goes so far as to say that the whole HR body was a mere setup and did a symbolic job. This is crucial as someone from the inside of the company accepts that it was all a sham and HR was there only to keep up appearances. Further, she reveals that those who complained against Dov were either let go quietly or pressured to stay silent because of their NDA’s. Her statement sheds light on the broken internal structure of the company that let all the abuse slide and protected Dov. Ultimately, the former HR member resigned due to moral reasons. This highlights in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, that the good employees had to leave due to powerlessness and the power-hungry continued to stay.
6. The testimony of the former intern
As mentioned above, it is revealed through other’s statements, that even interns were exploited by Dov in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel. The ultimate proof comes when a former intern comes forward to share her story. She says that she was lured into the company with its brand image of being rebellious. However, she soon found herself in a sexually and emotionally coercive environment. As a brand that catered to the youngsters, the former intern was also charmed by the image of the company, but did not know about the horrors behind. The intern mentions that her excitement over the internship soon faded away when she was assigned to do odd jobs that did not match her career goals like cleaning Dov’s office and even acting as a buffer between him and other interns. Horrifyingly, she even mentions that she was inappropriately touched during a creative meeting. When she complained about this, she was slowly removed from projects and her emails were left unanswered. When she did leave the company, she was eventually forced to sign an NDA, which she feels regretful about. Her harrowing experience brings to light how countless other women also faced harassment in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel. The company had become a site for grooming and manipulation.
7. The executive assistant also comes forward
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Another important testimony in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, comes from the former executive assistant, who worked directly under Dov Charney. Her account is intimate and revelatory as she witnessed firsthand, the type of grooming and exploitation that Dov enabled in the company. From the employees to the model, highly inappropriate behavior in the office was normalized. She says that there were moments where she was present and boundaries were openly crossed. Further, Dov also flaunted his relationships openly. The former assistant was under a lot of pressure as she had to do her job while also protect others from his volatile behavior. The assistant in Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, admits that she stayed because she feared retaliation, but also because she was manipulated into thinking that she was a trusted employee. However, her moment of realization came after a young colleague confided in her about a traumatic encounter. This incident broke the illusion, and she eventually quit the company. Her statement is important because she worked directly under Charney and even though she had good intentions, the company only favored Dov, which led to a system of abuse and complicity. Therefore, Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, is one of the most revelatory documentaries about the rise and fall of American Apparel.
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