Brandy Melville, the fast-fashion retailer notorious for its “one-size-fits-most” California-girl clothing, opened a store on the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington last Saturday, sparking backlash among locals who find the brand at odds with their values.
Brandy Melville clothing comes in a single size, typically the equivalent of a small or extra small.
The multinational chain was the subject of the HBO documentary Brandy Hellville & the Cult of Fast Fashion, which details the company’s discriminatory hiring practices and exploitation of teenage girls’ insecurities for profit.
According to the documentary, CEO Stephan Marsan allegedly went out of his way to hire thin, white storefront employees, while people of color were relegated to the stock room. Workers were required to take photos of themselves to send to Marsan, who kept them in a folder on his phone. The teenage employees would reportedly be fired if he disapproved of their appearance.
Senior executives reportedly sent pornographic messages and Hitler memes in a group chat called “Brandy Melville gags.” One executive alleged that Marsan closed a Brandy Melville store in Toronto because it was frequented by people of color.
The documentary also highlights the environmental toll of fast fashion globally, taking viewers to Ghana, which has become the West’s dumping ground for roughly 15 million used garments each week. The film argues Brandy Melville’s rapid production of cheap, trendy clothing contributes to this waste, alleging executives would buy teenage employees’ outfits off their backs in order to copy the designs and reproduce the clothing for Brandy Melville.
On Burlington’s subreddit, some users expressed disbelief that the controversial brand would set up shop in socially conscious Vermont. In an email to Seven Days, Church Street Marketplace director Kara Alnasrawi wrote that the buildings on Church Street are private property, and the City of Burlington has no legal control over private lease agreements.
Jericho resident Heather Girard was excited for a fun day of shopping with her 13-year-old daughter and her friend on Sunday. But when they walked into the new Brandy Melville store, things took a turn.
“I’m thinking, This can’t be right. There’s no such thing as one size on all clothing in a store,” Girard said. “That’s just not normal.”
None of the clothes fit her daughter, who ended up crying in the dressing room.
Disturbed, Girard Googled Brandy Melville and was disgusted by what she found. She ushered her daughter out of the store.
Employees at Burlington’s Brandy Melville store declined to comment to Seven Days, citing a clause in their employment contracts that forbids them from speaking with journalists.
The store is located in the space that used to host Black Diamond Equipment, which sold climbing, skiing and mountain sports gear. It offers a variety of cropped shirts, miniskirts, loungewear and more in a palette of muted colors such as white, navy and grey. The word “Vermont” appears on the front of several shirts. An American flag and maroon “Harvard 1923” flag hang inside.
Burlington’s Brandy Melville appears to be attracting business. The line to enter on opening day stretched far down the block.