When cultural brilliance and institutional weakness run in parallel

In this episode of the IADS Retail Park 🎙️, Maya is joined by Anchita, to unpack Maya’s latest exclusive on the rise and fall of American Apparel 🧵. From a vertically integrated LA factory paying $80–$120 a day before ethical production was a marketing term, to two Chapter 11 filings and a $88 million acquisition that left the brand’s entire cultural infrastructure behind, Maya traces how one of the most forward-thinking fashion brands of the 2000s became a case study in what happens when governance doesn’t keep pace with a brand’s ambitions 📉. Through the lens of the IADS 2025 White Paper on DEI, the conversation draws a direct line between American Apparel’s institutional failures and the questions department stores should be asking their brand partners today — before the headlines arrive.Based on 👉 IADS Exclusive: American Apparel After the MythFor more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.IADS.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe