Dov Charney, surrounded by neon Spandex bodysuits and unisex viscose tees (so, in his element), sat still for his first business interview in years, which aired today on CNBC. Reporter Jane Wells asked the American Apparel chairman and CEO why he clings to a model that “at the moment, is unprofitable.” Charney said:
I think you’re casting it in the wrong light, that it’s unprofitable. From the accounting perspective, ten, twenty feet up, yeah, it’s unprofitable. If you get down at the numbers, our gross margins — I’m talking about the cost versus the selling price — our gross margins are as high as a luxury brand like Prada.
She also brought up Charney’s alleged behavioral issues:
I think you’re casting it in the wrong light, that it’s unprofitable. From the accounting perspective, ten, twenty feet up, yeah, it’s unprofitable. If you get down at the numbers, our gross margins — I’m talking about the cost versus the selling price — our gross margins are as high as a luxury brand like Prada.
Wells noted, “I would say the range of criticism is everything from sexual predator, which you’ve heard, to just maybe, uh, weird,” to which Dov responded, “Well, you know, weird — I like weird.” You don’t say.
