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American Apparel empowers women through female-led rebranding strategy

American Apparel’s new ‘Back to Basics’ ads, which began appearing at the end of last year, were produced by a small in-house team of male and female photographers.

The photos feature minimal retouching and the ads feature ordinary people, in line with an inclusive marketing strategy which seeks to showcase diverse body types and ethnicities.

The brand attempts to distance itself from its past controversial campaigns by eliminating underage-looking models and stop further criticism concerning the age of models featured in the brand’s ads. A recent casting call issued by the brand asked that applicants must be ’25 years or older’. The change did not go unnoticed on social media.

American Apparel’s has not completely cut its ties with the seductive and flirtatious image for which it has become famous, as seen in head of brand marketing strategy Sabina Weber who described the new campaign as “honest, direct, playful, inclusive, sexy and occasionally slightly provocative.”

“Women feel so conflicted about being sexual right now, but we’re taking a position to still be sexy, unapologetically so, but from an empowered female perspective,” she added, while stressing the change of perspective that underlies the company’s rebranding exercise.

In line with the company’s rebranding strategy, efforts have also been made to ensure that male models are also photographed in similar poses and wearing the same amount of clothing as their female counterparts.

Another feature retained from previous American Apparel campaigns is the presence of armpit hair on female models, the inflammatory nature of which, Weber notes, leaves her perplexed. "Even as we feel we are evolving and making strides, women are still so angry and judgmental when another woman dares to show her body," she decries.

Due to the ease with which information can now be shared via social media, brands have to be more open about the steps they are taking to actively combat sexual harassment in their companies. It is a drive for greater transparency that feeds into the current trend for brands to be more authentic and to reflect the values of their consumers.

Campaigns for change in the fashion industry have also been launched by other organisations worldwide. The British Fashion Council, for example, recently joined the British Fashion Model Agency Association as part of the Models First initiative, which aims to develop a charter of best practice that will protect and give a voice to models working in the UK, while in France, companies are now legally obliged to disclose retouching (photographs) in their marketing campaigns.

 
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