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Businessweek Wedges 'Sleazy' American Apparel CEO In Some Deep Cleavage

Dov Charney Is Exactly Where He Wants To Be On Businessweek's Cover
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By 

Senior Reporter, HuffPost

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Dov Charney landed right where he wants to be on this week’s cover of Bloomberg Businessweek.

The magazine hitting newsstands Friday morning pictures the ousted American Apparel CEO, infamous for his salacious behavior, photoshopped into the cleavage of a woman wearing a dark red top. The title, “The Fall of the Sleaze King,” scrolls over him in a font reminiscent of retro pornography.

"Initially I felt a little uncomfortable with this, because it made me think of those plastic surgery subway ads," creative director Robert Vargas told The Huffington Post. "American Apparel has pretty much made a business of its sleazy advertising."

He said the design is an homage to the May 1969 cover of Esquire, on which Andy Warhol is drowning in a can of tomato soup.

The cover marks the fifth from Vargas, who succeeded Richard Turley in May. Turley was credited with revamping the magazine’s stuffy image, regularly creating some of the most eye-grabbing, and often risque, art on newsstands.

Charney, who was fired last month from the clothing company he founded, has launched an aggressive fight to reinstate himself. Hoping to wrestle control from the board, he has been buying up shares of the company.

On Wednesday, financially-imperiled American Apparel announced a deal with its largest shareholder, New York hedge fund Standard General, for a cash infusion of up to $25 million. The investment will pay off a $10 million loan from Lion Capital that the chain defaulted on by firing Charney.

The deal keeps Charney on as a consultant to the company.

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Before You Go

Scandals That Rocked American Apparel
Its CEO Has Been Repeatedly Accused Of Sexual Harassment(01 of10)
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American Apparel CEO Dov Charney has faced multiple accusations of unwanted sexual conduct, including accusations that he forced an employee to perform oral sex and kept one employee as a sex slave. According to American Apparel spokesman Peter Schey, Charney is currently involved with four sexual harassment suits that the company believes "have no merit." Charney told CNBC that such lawsuits are "a testimony to my success." (credit:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Flickr" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb31092e4b0480ca6635cd7" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="23" data-vars-position-in-unit="32">Flickr</a>:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30795532@N02/2886166922" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="dovcharney" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb31092e4b0480ca6635cd7" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30795532@N02/2886166922" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="24" data-vars-position-in-unit="33">dovcharney</a>)
It Was Sued For Allegedly Firing A Cancer Patient(02 of10)
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American Apparel was sued in 2010 for allegedly terminating an employee who was undergoing cancer treatment, CBS Los Angeles reports. The company settled the lawsuit for $60,000 in 2011, according to Daily News. Spokesman Peter Schey told HuffPost that American Apparel "agreed to intensify its training about the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act" following the the settlement, and now "has a policy that goes above and beyond what the law requires with regards to accommodating people with disabilities." (credit:Getty Images)
Its Employees Are Allegedly Hired And Fired Based On How Hot They Are(03 of10)
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American Apparel hires workers only after taking a full-body photograph of them and has faced accusations that it only hires the best looking candidates, Gawker reports. Likewise, CEO Dov Charney reportedly personally went through photos of store employees and requested that any "ugly people" be let go, according to one store manager. For its part, American Apparel says its policy is to hire workers who are knowledgable about its products. (credit:Getty Images)
A Factory Worker Died On The Job(04 of10)
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In 2011, garment worker Tuan Phan was killed by a circular knitting machine at one of American Apparel's factories. Calling the incident a "freak accident," American Apparel spokesman Peter Schey said "the company immediately took steps to avoid this type of terrible accident ever happening again," adding it is "fully committed to worker health and safety." (credit:Getty Images)
Its Been Accused Of Racism(05 of10)
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American Apparel paid out over $300,000 in damages after a worker sued for being called "n****r" by his superior repeatedly, Gawker reports. The company has also been accused of profiling customers, running racist ads and making racially insensitive products. "Under no circumstances does the company think racial slurs are appropriate," Peter Schey told HuffPost. (credit:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Flickr" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb31092e4b0480ca6635cd7" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="13" data-vars-position-in-unit="22">Flickr</a>:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22539273@N00/8035503034" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="*_*" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5bb31092e4b0480ca6635cd7" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22539273@N00/8035503034" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="14" data-vars-position-in-unit="23">*_*</a>)
Its Ads Get Banned... A Lot(06 of10)
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American Apparel's racy ads have been banned repeatedly for showing nudity, supposedly being exploitative and sexualizing child models. (credit:Getty Images)
It Almost Went Bankrupt(07 of10)
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American Apparel has been flirting with bankruptcy since 2010, coming especially close in the spring of 2011 after losing around $86 million. Despite calls for the company to outsource production due to the financial strife, it remained committed to "domestic production, fair wages [and] positive working conditions," according to American Apparel's Peter Schey. An $80 million credit infusion from billionaire George Soros in 2012, however, appears to have put the clothing company on more solid financial footing. (credit:AP)
Its CEO Allegedly Throws Dirt At People(08 of10)
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A 2012 lawsuit brought by former employee Michael Bumblis accused CEO Dov Charney of throwing dirt at a store manager and calling him a "fag" and a "wanna be Jew," The Huffington Post reports. "Dov Charney and witnesses deny that Charney ever assaulted or rubbed dirt in Mr. Bumblis's face," spokesman Peter Schey told HuffPost. "Mr. Bumblis sued only after being terminated for cause (after numerous warnings about his conduct before and after the alleged dirt-throwing incident)." (credit:Getty Images)
It Apparently Can't Take A Joke(09 of10)
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In 2011, America Apparel ran a contest called "The Next Big Thing," which sought a plus-size model for its new larger line of clothing. Nancy Upton's collection of ironic photos for the contest was the popular winner but American Apparel chose not to give her the top prize because of her "attempts to discredit the positive intentions of our challenge," a spokesperson wrote at the time. (credit:Shannon Skloss Photography)
It Unknowingly Hired Unauthorized Workers(10 of10)
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American Apparel was forced to fire 1,800 employees after a federal audit unveiled irregularities in the documents immigrant workers provided American Apparel in order to get hired, The New York Times reports. "We interviewed every worker one by one to ensure that we were absolutely certain that we didn't terminate anyone who had a right to be here," American Apparel's Peter Schey told HuffPost. (credit:Getty Images)
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