Since the 2010s, Brandy Melville has served as one of the most popular clothing brands for pre-teen and teenage girls alike. Infamous for its trendy tops and cozy sweatshirts, the Italian brand quickly blew up on social media and became the “must-wear” brand for teens. However, many quickly realized there were significant issues with the company. Since then, the brand has grown significantly less popular in recent years, and VALLEY is here to tell you why.
One Size Fits Small
If you aren’t tall, lean or typically wear a size 4 or below, you can say goodbye to your teenage dreams of purchasing a new wardrobe made up of Brandy Melville’s tiny clothes. Since the brand first launched, they have been infamous for their “one size fits all” clothing policy. But as many young girls and frustrated parents soon came to find out, one size did not in fact fit all, just those with a smaller build. Not only were the clothes tiny, but all of the models photographed in the brand and most of the employees were thin as well. As the brand grew in popularity, so did many others that not only sold size-inclusive clothing but also promoted body positivity in their ads and websites. This quickly proved Brandy Melville was far behind the times in their sizing and needed some serious rebranding.
Recently, they have added sizing to their jeans and pants, although they still only sell extra small through large — and a Brandy Melville large is probably a normal brand’s medium at best.
A Notoriously Toxic Environment
Beyond the obvious issues with the brand, Brandy Melville has come under fire in recent years for producing hostile environments in their stores. A multitude of plus-sized women as well as women of color have come forward online with horrible stories about the way they were treated by Brandy Melville employees. Many have said the workers were rude, unhelpful and seemed to find it ridiculous when women who didn’t fit the typical stereotype of an average customer.
Basic Quickly Becomes Boring
With the end of the 2010s and the world transitioning into the 20s once more, a whole new wave of fashion has emerged. 90s and early 2000s styles are back and bigger than ever, and color no longer seems to be something designers fear. Now more than ever we are seeing crazy patterns, bright colors and funky, innovative pieces. Meanwhile, Brandy Melville is still selling the same 10 items in the same 5 neutral colors. The lack of creativity in the brand may be a big part of the reason why Brandy Melville is no longer what it once was.
