LOS ANGELES and PARIS: American Apparel (Amex: APP), the vertically integrated clothing manufacturer based in downtown Los Angeles, has opened a new store La Defense, one of the most important business and shopping districts in Paris.

The 1700 sq. ft store is located near Gap, H&M and Zara, along with many other top international brands. The mall, which draws over 8 million visitors each year while retaining a reputation for fashion-forwardness and displaying the latest store concepts, fits well with American Apparel's fashionable basics aesthetic. The large new store, featuring white walls and an oak floor, has been designed to feature the company's new chic, feminine pieces as well as its Men's, Kids and Babies lines.

"We relish the opportunity to open a store in such a prime location in a great shopping complex. The visibility we have here allows us to feature our diverse line of new products, while offering a convenient reminder to passing customers who might need to stock up on basic apparel," said Marsha Brady, a creative director for American Apparel.

In addition to its new, fashionable women's pieces, American Apparel will merchandise the store to reflect the company's new imagery, artwork and exciting mannequin displays. American Apparel will hire approximately 20 new employees for the opening of this store. Their creative interpretation of the garments will inspire customers to try new pieces like jackets and jumpers as well as new uses for old favorites like t-shirts and bodysuits.

"We're proud to be expanding our brand in France, particularly in Paris. We have been consistently impressed with the way our brand resonates with Parisians' unique culture and sensibilities. This will be our 11th store in France and we know we have a lot to offer and many new customers to meet," Brady said.

About American Apparel

American Apparel is a vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor, and retailer of branded fashion basic apparel based in downtown Los Angeles, California. As of August 15, 2010, American Apparel employed approximately 10,000 people and operated over 280 retail stores in 20 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Israel, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and China. American Apparel also operates a leading wholesale business that supplies high quality T-shirts and other casual wear to distributors and screen printers. In addition to its retail stores and wholesale operations, American Apparel operates an online retail e-commerce website at http://www.americanapparel.com.

SOURCE American Apparel