All About Brandy Melville: Inside the Brandy Melville Brand

This guide explains the Brandy Melville brand and all about Brandy Melville from end to end. You will find the origin story in Italy, the store formula that spread from Los Angeles to Europe and Asia, the product and sizing decisions that shaped demand, the marketing playbook on Instagram and TikTok, the John Galt sub label, the lawsuits and the HBO documentary, and the sustainability questions that keep the brand under scrutiny.

At a glance

• Origin: Brandy Melville began in Italy in the 1980s, founded by Silvio Marsan and his son Stephan Marsan, who is the current chief executive. The name comes from a company fable about Brandy, an American girl, and Melville, an Englishman.
  
  
• United States launch: The first US store opened in Westwood near UCLA in 2009 and helped define the California teen aesthetic that powers the brand.
  
  
• TIME reported about 94 stores worldwide in April 2024 including 36 in the US, with new openings in Asia such as Seoul in January 2025.
  
  
• Sizing model: Most garments are sold in one size labelled one size fits most which observers say is roughly a US extra small to small.
  
  
• Sub label: The John Galt line takes its name from Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, reflecting the CEO’s libertarian interests reported by Business Insider.
  
  
• Controversies and legal matters: Allegations in press reports and a 2024 HBO documentary include discriminatory hiring, exclusionary sizing and a toxic work culture. The company has also settled a 2022 California wage and break case and filed recent intellectual property suits against Temu and Shein.
  

What Brandy Melville is

Brandy Melville is a youth fashion retailer that grew by presenting a narrow, sun‑bleached version of California casual across small stores, social feeds and rapid product drops. The look is simple basics, cropped knits, baby tees, denim and sweat sets in neutral colours with occasional collegiate or place name graphics. The Brandy Melville brand positioned that look as a lifestyle rather than a catalogue, which made both the stores and the social grids feel like a private club for girls who matched the vibe.

The origin story and leadership

The Brandy Melville brand started in Italy, then leaned into a California storyline after opening in Los Angeles in 2009. Media profiles and the HBO film identify a father and son founding team, Silvio and Stephan Marsan. Coverage also notes that Stephan Marsan keeps a very low public profile and that the company’s store ownership structure is hard to trace because shops are held under separate entities while a Swiss company holds the trademark. 

Where the stores are and how they work

TIME counted about 94 stores worldwide in 2024 with 36 in the United States. A 2025 Business Insider update shows continued expansion into Asia with a new location in Seoul’s Seongsu‑dong district that drew queues and strong TikTok coverage. Inside the shops the set is consistent. Pale wood tables, handwritten or vintage‑style signage, polaroid‑style imagery and curated music reinforce the low key, beach city feel that fans describe as relaxed and aspirational. 

Product and sizing inside the Brandy Melville brand

Brandy Melville popularised a one size approach for many core items. Reporting and the documentary describe the policy as one size fits most that corresponds roughly to US XS or S. Defenders say this simplifies operations and creates a recognisable silhouette for merchandising and social posts. Critics argue it excludes most body types and normalises a very thin ideal for teenage girls. Both positions appear repeatedly in mainstream coverage and in the film. 

Price points and drop rhythm

Part of the Brandy Melville appeal has been a price that feels attainable for teens compared with premium labels while still conferring status through scarcity and store culture. Items rotate quickly in small batches, which keeps the tables fresh for return visits and fuels the “try it now” mindset common to fast fashion cycles documented in the HBO film. It is most probable that if you see something you like during one visit, you won’t see it again during your next visit!

How Brandy Melville markets without traditional ads

The Brandy Melville brand relied early on Tumblr and then Instagram to post customer photos that matched the house aesthetic. TIME describes a feedback loop where teens posted outfits, the brand reposted the best looks, and more teens chased a feature. This user-generated model reduced paid advertising needs and rewarded a narrow set of looks, which in turn strengthened the visual identity. TikTok now extends the loop with try ons and store table resets trending regularly. 

The John Galt sub label

John Galt, also called J. Galt on tags, is a Brandy Melville sub brand named after the protagonist in Atlas Shrugged. Business Insider reported the brand decor sometimes included copies of the novel and that the naming reflected libertarian themes favoured by leadership. Day to day the John Galt rack largely mirrors Brandy Melville basics and graphics with minor differences in tag and theme. Business Insider

Allegations, lawsuits and the HBO documentary

The 2024 HBO documentary Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion assembled interviews and documents about workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, and a culture that evaluated and selected staff by how they looked and what they wore. TIME, People and other outlets summarised additional claims including daily outfit photos sent up the chain and offensive messages in executive chats. Brandy Melville did not comment for the film and has previously denied firing employees based on race in press responses. 

The company and related entities resolved a California class action over alleged off the clock work and missed breaks with a 1.5 million dollar settlement in 2022. Business Insider and The Fashion Law note the payment and the scope of the claims. The settlement did not require an admission of wrongdoing. 

Intellectual property enforcement

While facing scrutiny, the Brandy Melville brand has been assertive about protecting trademarks and designs. In 2025 it filed suit against Shein alleging copied designs and images. Weeks later it sued Temu, alleging that the marketplace enabled counterfeit Brandy Melville goods. Trade press summaries and dockets detail a broader strategy that includes actions against Redbubble and appeals tied to earlier judgments.

Sustainability and labour concerns

Environmental and labour advocates rate Brandy Melville poorly due to limited public reporting and a fast fashion model that encourages high turnover. Good On You gives the brand its lowest rating and cites a lack of transparency and mitigation efforts. Journalistic coverage around the HBO film echoes concerns about waste and about factory conditions in Prato, Italy’s fast fashion hub, where Chinese immigrant labour is widely employed. These issues are sector-wide and not unique to Brandy Melville, yet the brand’s popularity keeps it central to the debate. 

Why the Brandy Melville brand endures

The formula connects three levers. The Brandy Melville store experience feels like a members only clubhouse for a specific look. The product is simple, mixable and priced to buy now. The social loop converts customers into models and merchandisers. Even as criticism grows, those mechanics continue to deliver traffic, and they explain why Brandy Melville remains an influential reference point in teen fashion. 

FAQ

What is Brandy Melville?

An Italian founded teen fashion retailer known for basics, a California beach city aesthetic and a one size model for many garments.

Who founded Brandy Melville?

Silvio Marsan and his son Stephan Marsan. Stephan is reported as the company’s chief executive.

How many stores does Brandy Melville have?

TIME reported about 94 locations worldwide in 2024 with 36 in the United States, and Business Insider covered expansion into Seoul in 2025. Store counts fluctuate as leases open and close. 

What does one size mean at Brandy Melville?

Media reports describe one size fits most as roughly a US extra small to small, which is why critics say the sizing excludes many customers. 

What is John Galt in the Brandy Melville brand?

A sub label named after the Ayn Rand character John Galt. Business Insider linked the name to leadership’s libertarian interests. 

Has Brandy Melville responded to discrimination allegations?

Press coverage notes denials on firing based on race in prior responses. The company did not comment for the HBO documentary. 

Is Brandy Melville improving on sustainability?

Independent raters say there is little public evidence of progress. Good On You rates the brand We Avoid due to low transparency and fast fashion practices. 

Sources

• Time by Cady Lang. How HBO’s Brandy Hellville and The Cult of Fast Fashion Reveals the Dark Side of the Brand. April 12, 2024. 
• Business Insider. Brandy Melville opens in Seoul’s Seongsu‑dong district. January 2025.
• The Wall Street Journal. One Size Fits Most divides America’s teens. April 2024.
• Business Insider by Kate Taylor. Brandy Melville’s CEO loves libertarianism so much he named a brand John Galt. September 12, 2021.
• Business Insider. Brandy Melville owners to pay 1.5 million dollar settlement in California wage and break case. December 28, 2022.
• The Fashion Law. Brandy Melville files suit against Shein over alleged knockoffs. June 26, 2025.
• Fashion Dive. Brandy Melville sues Temu for trademark infringement and counterfeits. August 7, 2025. 
• People. Where is Stephan Marsan now. April 2024
• Good On You. How ethical is Brandy Melville. July 12, 2024.
• Racked by Julia Rubin. Smells Like Teen Spirit Inside the Secretive World of Brandy Melville. September 24, 2014.
• Case Studies in Strategic Communication. Exclusive and Aspirational Teen retailer Brandy Melville uses the country club approach to brand promotion. 2016.