An interesting new piece on the Dov Charney today, the pervy owner of American Apparel. Next week he finds out the result of his sexual harassment case, in which a woman charges he:

created a hostile work environment by using sexually explicit language and behaving in sexually inappropriate ways. During several meetings with her -- including one at his home -- he was dressed only in his underwear, the suit alleges. On another occasion, according to the suit, he appeared in a skimpier garment.

In a skimpier garment? Shudder. Mr. Charney explains himself this way:

Charney casts the world of American Apparel in particular and fashion in general as a business where everyone casually dresses and undresses for creative reasons and uses foul language with abandon.

Um, I don't think the owner of the Gap is walking around his office in a thong, describing the dirty things he'd like to do to his employees. Oh, and this gem:

"I'm the CEO of a public company," he said in a recent interview. "I manage 7,000 employees in 14 countries. . . . Could I have done all this where I'm inappropriate all the time? Where I'm running around in my underwear all the time?"

Touché, Mr. Charney, touché. I think this touches off a conflict a lot of people have with American Apparel. They like the labor practices (well-paid employees manufacturing garments in the United States) and the clothes are comfortable and fit well. The Charn, however, is obviously a sleazy perv who churns out ads that border on softcore porn.

None of the conflict has done anything to slow the growth of his company; it seems like a new American Apparel store opens every day.

Lawsuit has fashion mogul in spotlight [LA Times]