I recently visited the (now gone!) American Apparel store in Harvard Square, lured by the 70% clearance sale after the company recently went bankrupt. I ended up buying this tote bag, which I loved because it combined some of my favorite things: tote bags, a font I loved, and cities, most of which I have visited.
Although American Apparel is now a defunct business altogether—and I was certainly not their biggest fan—I will admit that it boasts a wonderful branding aesthetic. I absolutely love the sans-serif font that is used in its branding, especially on tangible “promotional materials” such as this very functional tote bag I now use frequently. It conveys an obvious message: this is a modern and minimal brand that’s both stylish and self-aware. I also love how consistent their identity was throughout the store, from their font to their physical layouts. Although American Apparel had that part down, surely, too bad that there were many other factors that led to its demise.
