30/08/2020 SB 1399 makes retailers accountable for garment worker pay - Los Angeles Times The first Forever 21 store opened in 1984 on Figueroa Street in Highland Park. The company was then called Fashion 21. (Claire Hannah Collins / Los Angeles Times) Labor advocates say the rise of fast-fashion retailers such as Forever 21 has contributed to the problem. The L.A. company had been the poster child for alleged wage abuses before it faltered and filed for bankruptcy last year. The Los Angeles Times documented in 2017 how the company had been cited in nearly 300 claims since 2007 by workers demanding back pay for producing its clothing, yet Forever 21 had not paid anything because it was classified as a retailer. More recently, labor advocates have been critical of Fashion Nova, one of the local industry’s rising stars — and were stunned to hear it had decided to support the proposed reforms. The largely online retailer has skyrocketed to prominence on its $22.99 skin-tight jumpsuits, $19.99 tops and other affordable apparel embraced by a legion of Instagram influencers. It’s also partnered with celebrities such as rapper Cardi B on clothing lines. ADVERTISEMENT The company’s business model relies on rapidly churning out apparel that may be in style for only a short time. That favors making clothes locally even if production costs might be higher than overseas — but critics charge that has led to abuses given the low price tags. An expose in the New York Times in December alleged wage theft at small subcontractors that was similar to what workers suffered making clothes for Forever 21. Opponents contend the two companies are outliers and do not represent the practices of the L.A. apparel industry, where the use of subcontractors to assemble apparel has long been standard. They are calling for better enforcement of existing laws. https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-08-17/fashion-brands-garment-workers-sb1399-joint-liability-piece-rate 4/13