Every time I step into Brandy Melville, I admire the clothing racks filled with vintage-inspired T-shirts, dainty tank tops, soft sweatpants and oversized hoodies. Cream-colored mannequins model carefully-picked outfits that reflect the common desire of a teenage girl’s wardrobe.

Wandering through the store, my fingers run over fabrics. One in particular catches my eye, I glance at the tag and the words “ONE SIZE” glare back up at me, a reminder of Brandy’s all-too-familiar (and often controversial) sizing policy.

Brandy Melville is a clothing company known for its effortless California-inspired attire. First founded in Italy in the ’80s by Silvio Marsan and his son, Stephan, now the brand’s CEO, the company has since captured the hearts of many around the world. But, despite its widespread popularity, I bet you have never seen a Brandy advertisement before. So, how did they reach this level of recognition? One word: exclusivity.

The brand first rose to popularity through social media influencers who catered to its female teenage audience, most of whom follow the mainstream/popularized aesthetic of young, thin, white and often-blonde girls. When you shop at Brandy, you join a community who strive to achieve a certain look only attainable by wearing Brandy clothes, developing an almost “beauty standard” based on if someone can fit into Brandy’s clothes or not.

Since its opening, Brandy has faced mass controversy. Not only do accusations about their toxic work environment, including unreasonable standards for employees, raise suspicion about what really goes on behind closed doors, but their sizings exclude a majority of Americans.

Brandy’s “one size” corresponds to an XS/S and really only fits sizes 00-4, even though the average girl is around size 6. Even though their clothes are marketed as “one size”, its tops are made from stretchy material, creating the illusion that it can be stretched to fit all body types. In reality, Brandy Melville fits some, but not all.

In a documentary called Brandy Hellville & The Cult of Fast Fashion, social media posts show teenagers complaining about how they weren’t fitting into Brandy clothes and how they plan on losing weight in order to fit into them. The documentary also highlighted how both customers and employees struggled with eating disorders and body image issues because of Brandy’s marketing and work environment. It even said Marsan required full body pictures of employees before they went to work, firing any employee whose looks he deemed unsatisfactory.

Brandy’s corporate culture even perpetuates body problems that already exist. A study by the National Organization for Women reports that at age 13, 53% of American girls are “unhappy with their bodies.” This grows to 78% by the time girls reach 17, an age demographic Brandy Melville targets, one who will be even more negatively impacted by the “one size” policy.

Keep in mind, teenage years are generally the most difficult — with our heads already wrapped up in finding ourselves, who we are, and who we want to become, the added pressures of physically “fitting in” with made-up, absurd standards creates a harmful self-environment.

In a world gradually embracing body-positivity and inclusivity both in-person and online, Brandy Melville’s defiant act of upholding destructive standards stands in stark contrast to its competition. Most clothing brands have shifted to more inclusive sizing (including plus sizes and plus-size collections), even promoting self-love through advertisements and showing commitment to representing all consumer body types. Not only does this reflect well on a company’s values, but it also attracts more customers, where shoppers of all body types can enjoy the clothing.

Along with body positivity, many popular clothing brands have also emphasized diversity in their marketing. It is now common to see a vast array of ethnicities on display in advertisements. When diversity is represented in brands, it also broadens the audience of consumers willing to shop at a store. People will be more inclined to shop somewhere if they see someone who looks like them being elevated by a brand.

This exclusivity isn’t just a marketing choice — it’s a statement. One that sets Brandy Melville apart in the competitive and abundant world of fast fashion. With an estimated annual yearly revenue of $93.5 million Brandy’s success is undeniable, and while it’s unlikely that they will abandon its signature “one size” model, they may eventually find that exclusivity comes at a cost.

Brandy Melville did not respond to requests for an interview.