What happened to Dov Charney's net worth after American Apparel?
Dov Charney's net worth was over $700,000 million at his career peak, but it has since dropped to about $500,000. Once a prominent figure in the U.S. garment industry and founder of American Apparel, he experienced a dramatic shift in both fortune and reputation. In a 2017 interview with The Guardian, he commented on workplace relationships, stating:
“Sleeping with a work colleague is unavoidable!”
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Dov Charney's profile summary
- Dov Charney almost clocked billionaire status: The dramatic rise and fall of the fashion mogul
- He dropped out of the university to pursue a niche passion: t-shirts
- American Apparel was once the fastest retail roll-out in American history
- Accusations of harassment and assault against Dov Charney
- Dov Charney's termination by the board
- The birth of Los Angeles Apparel: A look at Dov's second venture
- Insights into Dov Charney's abode in Silver Lake
- FAQs
- Wrapping up
Key takeaways
- Dov Charney started American Apparel with a $10,000 loan he had secured from his parents.
- The company reported record sales of $634 million in 2014.
- Under his leadership, American Apparel was highly criticised.
- In December 2014, Charney revealed he was down to his last $100,000 after his termination as the company's CEO.
Dov Charney's profile summary
| Full name | Dov Charney |
| Date of birth | 31 January 1969 |
| Age | 56 years old (2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
| Place of birth | Quebec, Canada |
| Current residence | Los Angeles, USA |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Alma mater | Choate Rosemary Hall |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Marital status | Unmarried |
| Profession | Businessman |
| Social media |
Dov Charney almost clocked billionaire status: The dramatic rise and fall of the fashion mogul
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Dov has an estimated net worth of $500,000. When American Apparel went public in 2007, he owned 27% of the company. On the first trading day, Charney's stake was approximately worth $450 million.
Within a few months, American Apparel hit $15.50 per share, pushing it to a total market cap of about $2.7 billion. At this point, Dov's shares were worth over $700 million. As documented by Forbes, he told the Los Angeles Business Journal in April 2011:
I am going to be one of Los Angeles' billionaires soon.
Source: Original
He dropped out of the university to pursue a niche passion: t-shirts
Speaking with Vice magazine in May 2013, Charney narrated how he smuggled t-shirts from the US to Canada while a high school student.
I used to buy 50 or 100 pieces and resell them to my friends back in Canada for a dollar profit.
In 1989, he started selling the merchandise under the American Apparel name. The following year, Dov left Tufts University and established a factory in South Carolina. By 1997, manufacturing was being done in Los Angeles. In 2001, the company recorded sales of about $12 million.
American Apparel was once the fastest retail roll-out in American history
In 2003, Dov opened American Apparel's first store in Echo Park, Los Angeles. Within two years, the company had 65 new outlets, some in Europe. By 2006, Charney had launched a total of 140 stores. This number had doubled by 2009.
During his tenure as American Apparel CEO, the company was known for its immigration reform campaign (Legalize LA), and support of same-gender marriage reform (Legalize Gay).
Nonetheless, the company often made news for its provocative ads featuring models personally selected by Dov from local hangouts.
Source: Getty Images
Accusations of harassment and assault against Dov Charney
Since the mid-2000s, Charney has been sued for harassment at least five times. He has faced allegations ranging from assault to racist comments and abusive conduct towards employees.
Dov has been accused of harassing employees as young as 17. However, the courts have disregarded many lawsuits because of documents signed by employees revoking legal claims against Charney.
Jane magazine's Claudine Ko accused Dov of pleasuring himself in front of her in a 2004 essay. In a 2025 Netflix documentary titled Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel, a former employee of American Apparel detailed his experience working for the company, revealing:
Dov always had someone he would publicly address as "Fool of the Week''.
Dov Charney's termination by the board
On 18 June 2014, Dov was publicly suspended as America Apparel's CEO due to his legal woes. About six months later, he was dismissed from his position.
Source: Instagram
Charney's effort to team up with the Standard General hedge fund to regain ownership proved futile. In October 2015, the company filed its first bankruptcy. The board rejected Hagan Group’s $300 million offer the next year as it favoured Dov's return.
The birth of Los Angeles Apparel: A look at Dov's second venture
Dov founded Los Angeles Apparel in 2016, opening its first South Central factory. In two years, he had over 350 employees and an expectation of $20 million in revenue. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company began producing masks and medical equipment.
However, according to Charney, he experienced significant losses during this period as he was donating most of the items. In 2020, Los Angeles Apparel was shut down after 300 of its staff members got infected with the virus, and four passed away.
Insights into Dov Charney's abode in Silver Lake
According to Business Insider, Dov paid $4.1 million for the Garbutt House in 2006. Frank A. Garbutt built the 20-room mansion from 1926 to 1928. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
Source: UGC
FAQs
Who are Dov Charney's parents?
Charney's mother, Sylvia, is an artist, while his dad, Morris, is an architect. The duo divorced when their son was young.
Did Dov Charney partner with Yeezy?
Dov is allegedly a longtime friend of Kanye West, the founder of Yeezy. In 2023, it was reported that Charney produced the controversial shirt of the rich rapper with the line, "White Lives Matter."
Wrapping up
Dov Charney's net worth was over $700,000 million at his career peak, but it has since dropped to about $500,000. Dov launched another clothing brand after American Apparel.
READ MORE: Kendra Scott's net worth: The self-made success of a jewellery icon
Briefly.co.za highlighted facts about Kendra Scott's financial portfolio. Her net worth of $500 million ranks her among America's richest self-made women.
Scott's fortune consists of earnings from Kendra Scott LLC's revenue and investment returns from companies, including Helm Boots.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
