Text by ALEXIS CHIU and DOMINIQUE LASHLEY
Photo by ANUSHE IRANI
Brandy Melville backlash TRENDY BRAND CALLED OUT FOR EXCLUSIVITY
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HE BRANDY MELVILLE inclusivity, racist and fatphobic messaging, Such was the case for Sara, an employgirl is tall and blonde. She dons as well as alleged unethical hiring practic- ee at a California location whose name has cropped baby tees under over- es. According to a jarring Business Insider been changed to protect her identity. sized hoodies and garners thou- report by Kate Taylor in September, over “Normally, I would expect them to say sands of followers on her perfectly filtered 30 Brandy Melville staff members claimed something like ‘We’ll reach out if you got social media platforms. This image is plas- higher management hired and fired several the position,’” Sara said. “But once I was tered across the brand’s Instagram, a mo- employees on the basis of height, weight done with my interview, they were just like, saic of small-sized white girls parading the and race. The article also alleges the compa- ‘We’d love to hire you.’ And that whole brand’s one-size-perny’s hiring process process took about a week.” style garments around includes approval However, Sara refuted rumors of toxic California cities and Its sizing policy of the applicant’s work conditions, describing a friendly, supbeaches. appearance and In- portive environment among employees. reinforces this The Italian based stagram account, “I know there’s so many rumors and company was founded unrealistic beauty with some employ- people assume the workers are [judgeby father-son duo Sil- standard, which is being ees being required mental], but at least all of my co-workers vio and Stephen Marto send daily outfit right now are really genuine and nice,” Sara san in the early 1980s peddled by a group of pictures to CEO said. “We’re a smaller community, but we but rose to promi- men in charge of Stephen Marsan for support each other.” nence following the approval. 2009 opening of its Brandy Melville.” Furthermore, Warped reflections Los Angeles location Black employees As the brand’s controversy has grown, — GIADA PARIGI, senior near UCLA’s Westclaimed they were increasing numbers of students have also wood campus. The routinely scheduled been speaking up about the unrealistic brand has since skyrocketed in popularity shifts where fewer customers entered stores standards Brandy Melville sells to teen girls. among teens through its curation of a dis- and were sometimes fired after more white Most prominently, its infamous one-sizetinctive West Coast aesthetic. women became per-style sizing policy “The brand is so popular and has such available to fill has been controversial, a big influence that it’s easy to spot one of their positions. with many students Girls with a bunch of their signature items of clothing in public,” Verde Magafeeling it promotes Palo Alto High School Instyle Club Presi- zine reached out to different body shapes unrealistic body image dent Ariana Ebrahimi said. Brandy Melville, standards. who couldn’t fit into With a store across the street from who declined to Ebrahimi, a former Paly, the brand’s influence on students has comment. Brandy Melville shoptheir clothes felt bad been widespread for several years, but has The local per, weighed in on the about themselves.” recently faced backlash over its one-sized Town and Counimpact of the brand on clothing, unprofessional hiring practices try Village store is — ARIANA EBRAHIMI, president of Paly’s her psyche. Instyle Club and “toxic” messaging. not exempt from “It [Brandy Mellthese allegations. ville] took a toll on An inside look Though it is a covsociety’s standards Despite its popularity, Brandy Melville eted place for Paly students to work, em- for girls since Brandy was such a popular is no stranger to controversy. Many criti- ployees describe the hiring process as un- brand,” Ebrahimi said. “Girls with a bunch cize the brand for a perceived lack of size usually quick. of different body shapes who couldn’t fit
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20 NOVEMBER 2021
