Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel Review

Dov Charney’s cult of personality gets the Trainwreck treatment, but does this one actually deserve the title?

My Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel review starts with high expectations. The Trainwreck docuseries has built a reputation for digging into stories where things go spectacularly, hilariously, or horrifyingly wrong. From the poop cruise to Rob Ford’s crack-smoking political career, these docs deliver the kind of jaw-dropping chaos that makes you pause and say, “What in the actual hell?” So naturally, I went into Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel expecting a similar caliber of disaster. What I got instead was a fairly tame, unsurprising profile of a guy whose downfall felt more overdue than dramatic.

That’s not to say the doc is bad. It’s well-produced, slickly edited, and packed with disturbing footage and solid interviews. But as a so-called “Trainwreck,” this one barely gets the wheels spinning before the whole thing just kind of putters to a predictable stop.

Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel Official Trailer

Dov Charney’s Fashion Cult — Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel Review

If you’ve never heard of Dov Charney before, congrats (you’ve lived a blessed life). This dude founded American Apparel, ran it like his own personal playground, and eventually got booted out when his behavior finally caught up with him. The doc paints him as a classic egomaniac: obsessed with himself, immune to criticism, and completely detached from reality. Think: American Psycho, minus the charm and business acumen.

His employees describe the company as a “fashion cult,” and honestly, that label fits. People were working for peanuts, getting screamed at, and still acting like it was an honor to be there (mostly because the brand felt cool and edgy). The illusion of working for something different gave people a reason to tolerate the chaos. The dude handed out vibrators and BlackBerrys as onboarding gifts. That’s not corporate culture, that’s a red flag parade with free T-shirts.

The Footage Is Wild, But the Trainwreck Is Weak

The documentary does a solid job showing just how chaotic Dov’s reign was. There’s archival footage of him berating staff, wandering the office naked (seriously), and acting like a rejected villain from an unproduced HBO show. It’s the kind of wild documentation that Trainwreck episodes are known for.

And yet, for all the chaos on display, the story wraps up in a pretty expected way. He gets ousted. The company collapses. The end. There’s no giant crash, no moment of total meltdown; just a slow, awkward fizzle. For a series built around disasters of epic proportions, this feels more like a well-documented HR complaint than a true implosion.

A Toxic Culture Behind the Progressive Image

One of the doc’s main threads is how American Apparel sold this progressive, ethical image (all made in the USA, sweatshop-free, edgy and inclusive) while being rotten at the core. Employees were on call 24/7, public humiliation was part of the job, and allegations of sexual harassment were practically baked into the brand.

It’s the kind of hypocrisy that should feel shocking, but honestly, if you already assume most fashion brands are toxic behind the scenes, this isn’t going to change that. The real kicker is how many people stuck around because the place made them feel cool. That illusion of belonging (even when everything sucks) is what gives it the cult vibe. Like a bad relationship that looks great on Instagram.

Should You Watch Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel?

Honestly? Sure. If you’re bored, curious, or just want to see a grown man throw a tantrum in American Apparel boxers, go for it. It’s a decent character study of a delusional CEO and a cautionary tale about mistaking cool branding for ethical behavior. But don’t expect the wild rollercoaster of other Trainwreck episodes. This one’s more of a limp slide into predictable corporate failure.

If I were ranking the series, this would be at the bottom. Not because it’s poorly made (it’s not), but because it simply doesn’t hit the same outrageous highs or lows. Dov’s a mess, sure, but he’s a predictable mess. The kind you see coming from a mile away, wearing an American Apparel deep V and screaming about disruption.

Final Verdict: 3/5 Stars

Tony Simons

Tony has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Phoenix and over 14 years of writing experience between multiple publications in the tech, photography, lifestyle, and deal industries.