Charney was at the center of the American Apparel empire, churning out high quality hipster basics and overtly sexual advertisements—his name and the brand were practically synonymous. He was ultimately ousted from the brand in 2014, after almost a decade of sexual assault allegations levied by former employees, and the company first filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a year later under new CEO Paula Schneider. In 2015, the American Apparel board rejected Charney's $300 million takeover offer, and the brand filed for bankruptcy again in 2016. American Apparel's death knell sounded a few months ago, when it shuttered its iconic Los Angeles factory and closed its national fleet of retail stores. But now, Charney is back.