American Apparel sticks to its buns and stays racy

In the hypersexual world of fashion advertising, few campaigns have courted as much controversy as American Apparel’s, but that doesn’t mean the brand plans on changing anything for a more conservative Chinese market. The United States’ largest clothing manufacture plans to stick to the formula that has brought it international acclaim: there will be no visible brand labels, all the clothing will be manufactured at the same Los Angeles factory, and (of course) CEO Dov Charney’s sexy photos of models and employees will continue to titillate from brightly lit store windows.

“China is much more open-minded than people think we are. We are still going to be sexy and edgy in China,” says China Resident Director of American Apparel Wei Su. The 30-year-old Beijing native, who is running American Apparel’s operations in China embodies the label’s young, hip identity. Over the phone, she pauses before articulating her real concern about the Chinese market: “What is a bigger issue is the absence of the brand label. That’s the biggest challenge.”

While other international brands make their labels larger and gaudier upon entering the Chinese market, American Apparel will keep its subtle tags on the inside of their clothing. If successful, the decision may mark a sea change in urban Chinese fashion.

“While consumers in their 30s and 40s want their big LV labels, young people in China are becoming more sophisticated,” explains Wei Su. “We’ve been out and seen the world, and we don’t need a giant brand label to tell us what we want. We can decide for ourselves how we want to dress.”

Over the next six months, American Apparel will launch three key stores in the capital, each of which says something different about the brand. The Sanlitun location targets young clubber, pushing the label’s classic thigh-high socks and frock dresses. Other locations in Qianmen and the China World Shopping Mall will position American Apparel next to international luxury labels. Here, the contrast between Beijing luxe fashion and American Apparel’s no-brand, L.A.-lifestyle aesthetic will be stark, but its identity as an international fashion label will be clear.

“Ultimately, we’re not just selling a dress or a shirt,” enthuses Wei Su. “We’re selling a lifestyle. Our clothing all comes from one factory. It can be worn by a celebrity, or it can be worn by a regular person. It can be worn on the street, in the gym or at the club. But it’s always fun. American Apparel is about America’s lives and dreams … and now, China’s as well.”

Blake Stone-Banks