User:AveryMcC/sandbox

I am expanding the article on the popular European clothing company, Brandy Melville. This company is rather controversial for its "one-size-fits-most" ( https://www.huffpost.com/entry/brandy-melville_n_5978626) policy because by "most" they refer to very small and thin women, which does not accurately represent a majority of women in the world, let alone the United States. Their most prominent buyers are young teen girls, and I will admit that I had a phase in which it was the only store I wanted to shop at. In fact, according to Piper Jaffrays semiannual report on teen spending, Brandy took the number one spot for up trending brands in 2014. This article will attempt to learn a bit more about the history of the company and see how it has continued to be one of the top brands in affordable fashion, even with all the negative press it seems to receive.

Silvio Marson and his son Stephan founded Brandy Melville in the early 80s in Italy (Schneider The Cut NY) and opened its first US store in Los Angeles, only a block away from the UCLA campus. The business quickly became wildly popular in part due to their malibu teen aesthetic (Schneider The Cut NY) that they show off on their Instagram page with over two million followers. The models are all white, long legged, young, and very very thin. The stores aesthetics match their brand advertising with an "all bleached wood and muted color palette" (Rubin racked), to align with the simple, low commitment, and very affordable clothes they offer. Although it may seem like the perfect place to grab a basic tee, many believe that the store is promoting unrealistic body ideals to young girls and women everywhere.