Hellville

A brand targeted at self-finding teenage girls has finally met its match after the HBO documentary Brandy Hellville & The Cult of Fast Fashion was released.

The brand was founded in the late 80s by Silvio Marsan and his son Stephan, who is not the brand’s CEO. The company's name has been questioned to be named after a person, but it is quite the opposite. The name originates from a fictional story created by the company about a girl named Brandy who falls in love with an English boy, Melville. Placing the store’s first retail locations in the Westwood neighborhoods of Los Angeles, close to the UCLA campus, the brand found a strong clientele of American Teenagers. The flirty, California girl clothing became a hit, resulting in Brandy Melville opening up 94 locations worldwide and 36 stores in the U.S.

The concept seems harmless enough.…

Since its booming success in 2009, the company has caused controversy not only in the world of women's fast fashion but also in its work environment and social stance.

The brand is infamously recognized for its “one size fits most” approach. It’s reported that the company offered more conventional sizing at the beginning of its success. However, an anonymous Brandy Melville executive interviewed in the movie shares that moving towards smaller sizing was part of the company's strategy to keep the brand “exclusive” and associated with a specific aesthetic.

Exclusivity: what is the difference between Brandy Melville and Louis Vuitton?

At this point in the documentary, my wheels were turning when they began to delve into the idea of exclusivity. Most luxury brands go out of their way to be exclusive. A perfect example is the Hermes Birkin; not only is there a high price barrier to acquire one of these bags, but you also have to look, act, and be a sure way to be offered one of these rare, timeless bags. In addition, I’m assuming these brands, beyond handbags, don’t carry a wide range of sizes. So why is Brandy in more trouble?

Let me explain…

Exclusivity is handled vastly differently by Brandy Melville and luxury brands. Brandy Melville is guilty of something luxury brands are not: “exclusivity by limitation.” By making their target market primarily young, thin women, they create an illusion of exclusivity by making the clothing feel unattainable for a large portion of the population. However, this is a form of harmful exclusivity, alienating customers rather than creating desire.

However, luxury brands create exclusivity by using “value and experience.” Their target market is a broad demographic with disposable income. This allows the brands to offer a wide range of sizes to cater to different body types while suggesting that they provide superior quality, craftsmanship, and status. This idea creates a sense of urgency and desire because individuals feel that the rarity of the items makes them limited edition.

Brandy Melville’s exclusivity is based on artificial limitations that exclude a significant portion of the population. At the same time, luxury brands build exclusivity through value, experience, and desire, creating a sense of aspiration and prestige. Both stratifies aim to develop an understanding of exclusivity; the methods are ethical, and the implications are vastly different.

In addition to the exclusivity of the “one size fits most” sizing policy, the documentary highlighted that the sizing “aesthetic” affected customers and employees. It is shown in the film's social media posts of customers complaining about how they can’t fit into the brand’s small clothes and expressing plots on how to lose weight to fit into the store’s tiny outfits. In addition, former employees in the documentary share they have struggled with eating disorders and having a healthy body image while working at the stores, overall feeling pressured to fit into the store’s clothing. Not diminishing, employees were also required to send daily full-body pictures of their work outfits for approval before coming to work.

Yet, it was reported that it was pretty difficult even to get a job at “Brandy.” the documentary reports that the company used discriminatory practices when it came to hiring and workplace practices. The employees said the company was focused on hiring young, thin, white women. The brand had also faced accusations of racism over the years, resulting in two lawsuits. Former employees share that white staffers were tasked with working on the sales floor, while non-white employees were assigned to work behind the register or in the stockroom.

It's horrible to think that only the company’s branding and logistics have caused that much damage, and we haven’t even begun to discuss the environmental impact this cheap fast-fashion brand has had on the planet.

In perspective, this documentary uses Brandy Melville as an example of a more significant issue regarding fast fashion, its environmental impact on the planet, and human rights. However, they could have chosen any fast fashion brand—Zara, H&M, Shien—and they decided on “Brandy.”

The documentary points to the brand’s rapid production process, spurred by the disease micro-trends or “quick-changing trends,” which causes companies to change their clothing style and overall production in weeks versus seasons like other fashion houses. In addition, the documentary shows the human cost of fast fashion by looking into the landfills in Ghana, where textile waste from the West is polluting its bodies of water, which has been increasingly growing since fast fashion became the dominant clothing model.

Fast fashion brands like Brandy Melville follow micro-trends. These trends emerge rapidly and fade quickly, often lasting only a few weeks. The influence of these trends primarily comes from platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Fast fashion brands are guilty of quickly replicating these trends vs. trying to meet demand, typically overproducing for a trend that doesn’t last long enough to sell all the inventory. This practice contributes to overconsumption, waste, and resource depletion. In addition, these practices are associated with low-quality garments and explorative labor practices.

However, when a fashion house such as — Isabel Marant, Annie Bing, and Gianni — releases seasonal lines, these trends are based on more enduring, often evolved trends that last multiple seasons and carry a timeless look. These trends are typically influenced by society and culture, basing these ideas on cultural shifts. These practices also reflect the brand’s aesthetic and identity rather than attempting to appeal to a mass audience. In addition, because the practices are seasonal and not weekly, they focus more on craftsmanship, tailoring, and attention to detail. They are increasingly adopting sustainable practices and materials.

Seasonal lines reduce the pressure to produce vast quantities of clothing, mitigating environmental impact quickly. Slower production also allows for better quality control and higher-quality materials. Next, consumers are more likely to invest in pieces that last longer and reduce waste, allowing for longer developmental cycles to give designers more time to innovate and experiment.

Fast-fashion micro-trends may generate excitement and drive sales, but they harm the environment and consumer behavior. Fashion houses that focus on seasonal lines offer a more sustainable and responsible approach to the industry.

While fast-fashion micro-trends can generate excitement and drive sales, they significantly negatively impact the environment and consumer behavior. Fashion houses focusing on seasonal lines offer a more sustainable and responsible approach to the industry, prioritizing quality, longevity, and brand identity over rapid turnover.

Not to mention, the most gut-wrenching part of this entire thing is the exploitation of those who produce Brandy Melville’s cheap clothes. Chinese immigrants were at their factory in Prato, Italy, a city known for textile production and for many fast fashion brands that represent those qualities of sweatshops.

If there is anything to take away from this article, remember that brand association extends beyond the company. When you purchase and wear a brand, you align yourself with that company's identity. Your shopping choices shape your narrative and define your affiliations. Think twice before you buy.