American Apparel Controversial Casting Call: Asks For ‘Real Models,’ Not ‘Instagram Hoes’


Controversial clothing manufacturer American Apparel is often known for their sexually charged advertisements and constant use of underage, amateur models. Now, the company is holding a casting call asking for “real models,” not “Instagram hoes” or “THOTs.”

That’s what an email stated from casting agent Phira Luon that was obtained by the New York Post.

“[The] company is going through a rebranding image so will be shooting models moving forward,” Luon wrote in a March 18 email blast. “Real models. Not Instagram hoes or THOTs.”

The American Apparel casting call also features a young woman with her head next to man’s leg. The models appear to be naked and laying in bed together. This email and its use of “hoes” and “thots,” which is slang for “that ho over there,” has caused an uproar with models and feminists on social media. It also forced Luon to apologize, according to Design & Trend.

The casting call agent said that the email was “an inappropriate off color joke that was not intended to defame the clients’ name or philosophy/views in any way.”

A spokesperson from American Apparel also released a statement through the Huffington Post.

“It’s just completely false that American Apparel is only using professional models, and we have had and continue to have public casting calls on our calendar.

We continue to look for diverse models of all sizes and backgrounds that look great in our clothes, and these open casting calls play a key role. Suggestions to the contrary are the result of an email written by a non-American Apparel employee that does not reflect our company’s beliefs in any way, and they have since apologized for writing it.”

This comes at just the right time, when American Apparel is trying to clean up its hyper-sexualized image. Cosmopolitan U.K. also noted that the company has had a ruling made against them for including underage models in their sexualized ad campaigns. The brand also announced earlier this week that they will airbrush nipples and pubic hair from the images on their website.

However, it seems like American Apparel doesn’t want to accept any responsibility for coming up with the words “Instagram hoes” and “thots” in their casting call, according to MSNBC.

PhotoGenics, a modeling and fashion agency in L.A., were the ones who allegedly sent the email, not American Apparel itself. Cynthia Erland, senior vice president of marketing, said that the email was surprising to see.

“We were not aware of the email PhotoGenics planned to send, and want to reiterate that its content does not reflect our core values, nor did I communicate that we are rebranding the company. We plan to maintain the DNA of the brand.

American Apparel did not hire PhotoGenics, and only called him as any apparel company calls an agency for a casting call. He was not hired or under any contract with American Apparel.”

American Apparel has stuck to their promise of using “real models” in their ad campaigns and on their website. They are still currently accepting amateur model submissions through their website, according to Sugarscape. The American Apparel submission page reads as follows.

“We find our models all over the world, through online submissions, word of mouth, and in retail stores, where we’ve been known to do an impromptu test shoot or two. Our ads have always been indicative of a time and place in American Apparel’s identity, which has evolved into a 12,000 employee worldwide collaboration.”

American Apparel’s plans for breaking away from its sexed up image isn’t work yet. The brand still has a lot to learn about respecting women as it changes its image.

[Image: Scott Olson/Getty Images]

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