Trouble in fashion paradise? True crimes that shocked the glamorous industry

In the recent years, many widely known clothing brands have come into the forefront for all the wrong reasons. Issues of corporate greed, exploitation of young women, and abusive protocols at all production, promotion, and distribution levels have been unveiled. This led to a streak of documentaries, docuseries, and podcasts that delve deep into the stories of these organizations tainted by corrupt leadership and unprecedented mishaps.

A few notable works that deeply examine these issues are ‘Brandy Melville & The Cult Of Fast Fashion’, ‘Victoria’s Secret: Angels And Demons’, ‘The Curse Of Von Dutch: A Brand To Die For’, and ‘Morbid: The Lulu lemon Murder’.

‘Brandy Melville & The Cult Of Fast Fashion’ is a documentary that thoroughly scrutinizes the toxic culture at Brandy Melville, a social media-fueled brand targeting Generation Z. It further unveils the unethical systems deeply rooted within the global fast-fashion industry. Developed countries dominate the clothing industry, and the act of disposing off waste clothing in developing countries like Ghana, shown in the film, is gruesome. One of the alarming practices by Brandy Melville is selling one-size-fits-all clothing for petite figures, which indirectly promotes unhealthy body images among women. The film also discloses allegations of racism and widespread predatory practices by the brand’s leaders, Silvio and Stephan Marsan, adding to the grim reveals a rape accusation against a manager by an employee.

The next in line is ‘Victoria’s Secret: Angels And Demons’, a three-part docuseries that tracks the spectacular rise of the lingerie behemoth, Victoria’s Secret, while simultaneously exposing numerous issues that backed, if not drove, their triumph with each revelation more unsettling than the prior one. It uncovers the underhanded dealings involving the former CEO Leslie Wexner, top former executive Ed Razek and the infamous financier Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein’s control over the brand’s multimillion-dollar accounts and his endeavors to pose as a recruiter to trap young women only came into the limelight after his arrest on charges of sex trafficking in 2019.

‘The Curse Of Von Dutch: A Brand To Die For’ revolves around the tempestuous history behind the Von Dutch brand, associated with popular figures such as Paris Hilton, Jay-Z, Britney Spears, and Ashton Kutcher. The brand was popular for trucker hats but was filled with sabotage, greed, betrayal, malicious practices, and even a first-degree murder charge. The brand, at its zenith, was growing its profits twice every month, attributed to the three men, Ed Boswell, Michael Cassel, and Robert Vaughn, all claiming to be the creators of Von Dutch.

‘Morbid: The Lululemon Murder’ is a narrative built around a horrifying assault that happened at a Lululemon outlet in Bethesda, on March 11, 2011, leading to the demise of one worker, Jayna Murray. The incident stands out amongst the rest as this is not exposing an organization or its leaders’ wrongdoings. Following the murder, another employee, Brittany Norwood, was found in a traumatising state. The podcast, led by Alaina Urquhart and Ash Kelley, provides a comprehensive insight into the events that transpired against the backdrop of a bizarre series of events leading to an almost unbelievable climax.

These pieces of work shed tremendous light on the seedy underside of the acclaimed brands that we know today. The revelation serves as a wake-up call to consumers, making them aware of the dark side of these brands. After all, fashion comes at a price, but it’s one that no one should have to pay with their dignity.