Fashion influencer Arielle Charnas’ apparel brand, Something Navy, has been in trouble for a few years.
The clothing brand — which launched in 2020 — had a strong three years, but is currently experiencing unsteady sales, late payments to suppliers and now employees are quitting, per Business Insider. In June, Something Navy’s CEO Matthew Scanlan announced plans to leave the company, causing even more turmoil. Shortly after his departure, the brand closed two stores, stopped production on upcoming clothing lines and delayed customer orders.
The Something Navy website is currently under construction with a “Be right back” message displayed on its homepage. “The Something Navy site is getting a little refresh. Check back to shop your favorite styles soon,” it reads.
The trouble with the business has also drawn attention to Arielle and her husband, Brandon Charnas. Brandon, 38, is allegedly not cooperating with the Securities and Exchange Commission in a “possible insider trading violation,” according to the Commission’s press release: “Charnas has improperly asserted his Fifth Amendment privilege and failed to comply with the document production obligations of the subpoena.”
Scroll down for everything we know about Something Navy.
Who is Arielle Charnas?
Arielle Charnas is a fashion influencer and blogger, with over one million followers on Instagram. She got her start in 2009 after launching her own lifestyle blog in 2009. In 2017, she launched a clothing line under the same name, which was sold at Nordstrom.
In addition to drama with Something Navy, she made headlines in 2020 when she didn’t follow COVID-19 isolation guidelines. She shared via Instagram that she left her home in Manhattan traveled to the Hamptons. After fans accused her of being inconsiderate to those who were suffering from the virus, she took to the social media app to apologize.
“I just wanted to come on here and say I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry for anyone that I’ve offended or hurt over the last couple of weeks … I’m just sorry that I let down my community in any way.”
Arielle has not yet commented on the company’s downfall.
Who is Brandon Charnas?
Branson Charnas is a real estate agent and entrepreneur. In December 2022, he found himself under investigation for allegedly trading stocks before Staples announced an offer to acquire Office Depot. According to the SEC press release, he earned at least $385,000 in combined profits from the trade in 2021.
Reports previously surfaced that Brandon was allegedly embezzling funds from Something Navy in December 2022. The couple’s representative told Us Weekly at the time “All of these rumors are fake. Arielle and Brandon are happily married, there was absolutely no embezzlement.” They continued, “This is all part of a disgusting, coordinated smear campaign attempting to damage Arielle and Brandon’s reputations and lives.”
Scanlon also denied the claims in a statement to Women’s Wear Daily that same month, “Brandon Charnas does not have access to company bank accounts. “He is not an employee of the company, and he has no access points.”
When Did Arielle Charnas and Brandon Charnas Get Married?
The duo tied the knot in 2014. They share three children, Ruby Lou, 7, Esme Rae, 5 and Navy Bea, 2.
Arielle keeps her followers updated on her relationship with Brandon, occasionally sharing sweet snaps of her family. In June, she shared via Instagram Navy Bea’s birthday celebration. The couple placed a cake in front of the two-year-old and sang “Happy Birthday” while placing a crown on her head. They helped her blow out her candles and both gave the toddler a kiss on the cheek. “The perfect ending to a very special birthday. Love our baby so much,” she captioned the post.
In December 2022, Arielle again took to Instagram to share a casual date with Brandon. The lovebirds cuddled up the car and smiled for the camera while wearing puffy jackets and winter hats. “Morning coffee date. ,” she captioned the post.
Was Something Navy Successful?
Something Navy had a very successful three years and told Insider in 2021 that it was valued at $100 million. The brand has nearly 320k followers on Instagram, and sells products including jackets, loungewear, shoes, dresses, blouses and more. Earlier this month, the brand announced a partnership with American Girl, creating a doll line of mini dresses, frilly skirts, accessories and more.
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Something Navy first launched a clothing like through Nordstrom in 2017, but after two very successful years (the brand told Insider in 2020 that they sold over $1 million worth of items on the first day), Charnas left Nordstrom and launched Something Navy as an independent company.