Los Angeles Apparel was founded byDov Charney in 2016 inLos Angeles, California, after he was terminated from American Apparel by its board due to numerous allegations including sexual harassment, racism, and sexual assault. Charney rejected a $4.5 million severance package and role as "creative director" in the company[8] and launched Los Angeles Apparel as a wholesale business, similar to American Apparel's origins in 1989.[9]
About 90% of the factory's machinery once belonged to American Apparel.[10][11] Charney bought fabric, computers, sewing machines, and other equipment from American Apparel in the bankruptcy sale.[12] In late 2016,Cincinnati-based TSC Apparel made a multimillion-dollar business deal with Los Angeles Apparel,[13] selling the startup's clothes to concert producerLive Nation Entertainment and screen printers who previously purchased American Apparel.[7][10][14][15]
In an effort to emphasize the importance of the workers who produce the apparel, their names and faces were printed on the labels of shirts back in 2017.[16]
In 2020, public health officials ordered the shut-down of Los Angeles Apparel due to "flagrant violations of mandatory public health infection control orders." Charney was able to sidestep the initial lockdown measures and keep employees from unemployment benefits by reopening as an essential business making and selling masks. 300 workers were infected withCOVID-19 and 4 workers died before the factory was ordered to close.[17]
