At least that’s what Perez Hilton says. And he may have a point. A new PBS  documentary called Made in L.A. shows the seedy side of Forever 21 from favortism to sweat shops both overseas and in the U.S. “Made in L.A. is an Emmy award-winning feature documentary that follows the remarkable story of three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from trendy clothing retailer Forever 21,” the Made in L.A. web site reads. “These three women, along with other immigrant workers, come together at L.A.’s Garment Worker Center to take a stand for their rights. Against all odds, these seemingly defenseless workers launch a very public challenge (a lawsuit and a boycott) to one of the city’s flagship clothiers, calling attention to the dark side of low-wage labor north of the U.S.-Mexico border and revealing the social fault lines of the new globalization.” The retail store has multiple locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and like many, I am a customer. But I’m not so sure I want my dollars supporting a company that treats people like animals no matter how cheap I can get a little black dress.  

39thandbroadway.com

But that’s not all the issues outsiders have against Forever 21 and its devout Christian owners Don and Jin Sook Chang. “Mrs. Chang has been known to take young designers and send them on Christian missions and if they become “born again” they will be promoted and financially rewarded.  Have you ever looked at your Forever 21 packaging or shopping bags?  Those numbers printed on them are bible verses.  Frankly, we don’t need our tube tops and leggings preaching religion to us,” the web site 39th and Broadway rails. The web site also decries Forever 21′s biggest offense: rip offs. It’s one thing to be inspired by designers and make a look for less, it’s another to out right copy. Bottom line, Forever 21 is the largest offender of creating knockoffs, be it upscale designers or struggling independent designers, F21 is in essence stealing their livelihood from them.  They have been taken to the US District Courts for their violations and have been sued over 50 times in the last 4 years alone for copyright infringement!”