Love them or hate them, American Apparel’s ads get noticed. From mannequins with pubic hair to print ads showing topless employees, there's always plenty of shock value. The new CEO is putting an end to ‘crotch shot campaigns’. But will this less offensive strategy also prove less effective?

Anyone who’s seen an American college movie is familiar with the stereotypical frat boy; excessive boozing, scantily clad sorority girls and fierce camaraderie define him. It’s nostalgia for such ‘bromance’ culture which is the driving force behind San Francisco-based shorts brand Chubbies. But how did these tiny shorts manage to unite a ‘bro’-based style cult?

Traditional ‘teen’ retailers like A&F are battling high unemployment rates, rapidly changing social landscapes and the increasingly fickle nature of fashion to stay afloat in a competitive market. But if teens aren’t dropping their cash here, then where are they shopping?

Gen Y are a fickle bunch – from premium retailers to high street stores to niche boutiques, they're anything but loyal to the brands they buy. Experts speculate that little can be done to change it, but with fashion labels growing increasingly distant from customers, are they really to blame for wanting to shop around?