Brandy Hellville
In the realm of fashion, Brandy Melville has long been synonymous with a specific aesthetic: effortlessly cool, chic and, as critics contend, exclusionary.
In the new Max documentary “Brandy Hellville & the Cult of Fast Fashion,” released on March 11, Oscar-winning director Eva Orner explores a behind-the-scenes look at the company culture and its disturbing ethos. The brand, once a beacon of trendy simplicity, now finds itself under the harsh spotlight of scrutiny, as allegations of racism, fatphobia and a toxic work environment come to the fore.
The revelations, stemming from a 2021 investigation by Insider, are nothing short of alarming. Within Brandy Melville’s inner circle, a group chat uncovered by Insider revealed layers of disturbing content: insensitive memes, pornographic material and jokes revolving around Hitler. In an appalling display of insensitivity, Hitler was mentioned 24 times, accompanied by derogatory remarks targeting Black individuals. These disclosures cast a shadow over the brand’s purported image of youthful allure, instead exposing a darker underbelly of corporate bigotry and hate.
Since its beginnings as a “brick-and-mortar store in 2009,” according to Rolling Stone, Brandy Melville has peddled under the notion of “one size fits most,” a mantra that has been met with growing criticism. This strategy, once hailed as a tactic for exclusivity, now stands accused of perpetuating fatphobia.
Insider reported multiple women were fired for their physical appearance and race.
“If she was black, if she was fat … [the company owners] didn’t want them in the store,” Former Senior Vice President Luca Rotondo said in the New York Post.
By catering solely to a narrow physical ideal, the brand inadvertently sends a damaging message to consumers: that only a certain body type is worthy of representation.
Kristina Krusteva (11) echoed the sentiments of many disillusioned shoppers.
“I don’t like how they advertise ‘one size fits most,’” Krusteva said. “Like at least clarify that it’s smaller sizes.”
After hearing about the corporate scandals surrounding Brandy Melville’s image, Krusteva said she will not be visiting its branches anymore.
“I definitely won’t shop there after hearing about all that,” Krusteva said.
Behind the scenes, the glitz and glamor of Brandy Melville’s image gives way to a harsh reality — one marred by exploitation and mistreatment. “Brandy Hellville & the Cult of Fast Fashion” sheds light on the brand’s questionable production practices, fueled by the exploitation of cheap labor.
From the teenage girls lured into a facade of glamor to the Chinese immigrant workers toiling away in sweatshops in Prato, Italy, Brandy Melville’s success story is tainted by its stark realities of exploitation and injustice.
“There are a lot of pronto modo [fast fashion factories] that are regular, but sometimes we find people that are like slaves. That is something objectively very painful to see,” Matteo Biffoni, Italian politician and mayor of Prato, said.
Zoe Salinas (9), a frequent shopper, acknowledged the allure of Brandy Melville’s style but expressed discomfort with its discriminatory practices.
“Their marketing seems a bit sketchy and they are not inclusive at all … they only ever show skinny white girls in ads or pictures,” Salinas said.
According to a former Brandy Melville executive interviewed anonymously in the documentary and quoted in Time magazine, the sizing tactic was “an explicit part of the company’s business model, as a way to keep the brand ‘exclusive’ and associated with a specific (and very thin) physical aesthetic.”
Lily Bruch (10), another patron, explains that “style, quality and price” are the factors that originally drew her into buying from Brandy Melville.
“I’m not necessarily a frequent shopper, more like I go there a few times every few months and buy a lot. I have not heard about the documentary, but I’m definitely interested in doing more research,” Bruch said.
According to Green Matters, an environmental website aiming to inform general audiences about climate change and sustainability practices, “most of Brandy Melville’s clothing is conventional cotton, which requires a lot of water and pesticides to grow, which can have some potential environmental impacts.”
In addition, “their cotton is often grown and harvested in areas where forced labor and child labor are common,” according to an analysis by Ecothes, a sustainable clothing and footwear blog.
Many urge consumers to reflect on the ethical implications of their fashion choices.
“People buy into fast fashion because it’s trendy,” Marinee Payne, a costume design teacher, said. “I think sometimes people need to be more aware of the particular ethics of the fashion industry. They need to reflect on their own ethical views and see if it aligns with the ethical view of the companies and items they purchase.”
In the wake of these revelations, Brandy Melville stands at a crossroads, grappling with a tarnished reputation and a growing chorus of critics. As consumers reckon with the realities behind the glamor, the fashion industry faces a reckoning — one that demands transparency, inclusivity and honest commitment to ethical practices.
Whether Brandy Melville can weather this storm and emerge reformed remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the days of turning a blind eye to exploitation are numbered.
