It’s really true depending on specific department. Tommy is a good company but the PD knits team’s director is the worst manager. She is always hiring because no one can stay longer than an year or two under her.
2 Likes
SOS different day. 
Natori was a terrible experience for me. After a long successful career at AEO, Natori a real disappointment. No patients, toxic culture and leadership.
Also Abercrombie and Fitch… I was there for a year in a leadership design role… poor leadership and lots of favoritism/negative culture.
Agreed. Very outdated and old school mindset. Company has no structure… No updated training offered to stay current with programs used in the office. Upper management has little regard for the well being of their employees… unless your part of the “cult” that has worked there for 20+ years… it’s sad.
I worked at Saks Off 5th for just under a year. In my experience, I found the culture to be very toxic with consistent mass layoffs and a lack of support from either HR or higher ups. I had a really challenging relationship with my buyer who was just a terrible boss. She would constantly show up to appointments and the office hours late and then throw the blame on me for not getting everything done after piling on an unmanageable workload. She used to pull me into a room for one on one’s and berate me until I cried. I must have met with HR 10 times over the course of 2 months bringing them evidence of mismanagement and mistreatment, and they did nothing and actually tried to frame everything as being my fault.
1 Like
I interviewed at Under Armour 3 or 4 times in both the NY and MD office. Each time I was told I’m not qualified to be a Director, Sr TD, TD, Associate TD or even an Assistant TD. Mind you I have well over 30yrs experience and always eager to learn more. Most of the people in charge in that department came from Abercrombie and are clickish. That was the 1st thing I noticed during each interview. What was even FUNNIER is they had a freelancer in the NY office doing the interviews because that office wasn’t set up just yet. Oh and by the way 3 of those times HR UA reached out to me
1 Like
I had an interview with the co-founder a little over a year ago and it was a weird and uncomfortable experience. He vaped *during the interview, did not engage in the process and acted as if he was bored within the first 10 seconds I sat down, barely giving me eye contact. I could tell he was the worst, which is a shame because the product is beautiful.
1 Like
I’m sorry that happened to you! I was there under a contemporary division and enjoyed my experience overall (left because of the poor way the business was being handled, no room for growth, ect.), but I heard horror stories about other divisions, especially for designers. Such a shame, although I also felt the 3 G’s up top put pressure on division heads and basically made it a dog-eat-dog type of situation.
1 Like
I have not worked there personally, but have been in the industry a long time and have heard this time and time again.
I would have to say my worst experience with a company in California is One World, Inc. in Industry. The management is a reflection of the ownership. There have been law suits, etc. for mistreatment and abuse (both physical and mental) by the head of the company.
My own experience with the hierarchy they have set up was both shocking and outright illegal. My first week there, I was threatened with a 90 day trial period after which my design supervisor made it known she was going to choose between myself and a coworker as to who will stay with the company. She proceeded to get chummy and began to ask questions about my sexual orientation, personal home life of which she assumed too much and held it over my head until I was terminated 90 days after my trial. I could do nothing as all hires were given a disclosure to sign, never to sue the company. This 90 day period protects these monster corporations from legal action under the state of California laws. Though I was glad to leave, I was appalled there was no recourse for their actions.
3 Likes
yes yes yes Agreed. favoritism is prevalent there and even if you’re talented, you can treated like garbage!
I think it depends on what dept you are in and who you work for. My experience in my dept wasn’t that bad(worked with nice people) although the company itself wasn’t great, especially senior management.
It is time for the industry to change or be taken down with new regulations that protect the workers. It is sickening how the employees are treated as if this were a third world country. Again, regulation has to be introduced into federal law to make corporations more accountable for their actions and mistreatment of workers. Consumers need to boycott all labels that are exposed for this kind of treatment. The fashion industry has to change or it will continue toward a slow death based on what I am reading here.
6 Likes
American Apparel is not based in LA anymore, but it used to be a pretty toxic place to work…
1 Like
That’s the worst. I am working for a family owned company atm and even though they are trying to keep it all fair and square, it is simply impossible. I hate nepotism, in all it’s forms. And even though I try to ignore it most of the days because the family members are really decent people, it does ultimately create the wrong dynamic within teams.
1 Like
7thAveSecrets maybe you should work in the industry a little longer and then speak about being thin skinned. I don’t think anyone I’ve ever worked with is thin skinned. Fashion is just a rough business. I’ve worked at 5 different companies from designer to contemporary to discount. And let me tell you the higher ups have always treated the lower levels like shit and that they are worthless. I’ve been told by multiple bosses that I can be replaced in a heartbeat because designers are easy to come by and they’ll accept a lower salary than I’m being paid. I’ve been called stupid and worthless in meetings only to have that exact idea taken and the VP take credit for it. Fashion is toxic. And it takes a strong person to keep coming back, no one that works in fashion is thin skinned. They just deal with bullshit everyday and there’s only so much a single person can take before they break.
13 Likes
Actually, I started in the NY garment center during the 90s. That was pre-political correctness.
I’m not saying all or even most people are thin skinned BUT c’mon, there has to be at least a few entitled kids on this string that suck at their job and can’t handle the criticism; it can’t always be the bosses fault, right?
1 Like
You’re gen z, but you’ve been working in fashion since the 90’s? Okay.
The fashion industry is toxic as fuck. Sure maybe a couple people aren’t cut out for it. But for a generalization when the fashion industry is well known for being toxic.
6 Likes
Jeez with such a comment, I really hope you are on your way out…And that you are not in a position of power.
5 Likes
Exactly!! Same as my last place but a clear and noticeable divide amongst us.
1 Like