Hollywood. A sweeping canvas of lights, camera, action. The perfect place for glittering red carpet events. But, they wouldn’t be discussed without fashion. Of the dozens of luxury labels to glide down the carpet at A-list events, one comes to mind. Marchesa. It might be a newer brand that doesn’t compete with the decades of Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Versace, but the brand has dressed Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Lopez. It got caught up in controversy thanks to Harvey Weinstein. His now ex-wife, Georgina Chapman, co-founded the label, but he is the reason it was a red carpet staple.
In October 2017, Weinstein was accused of sexually assaulting dozens of women. Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey wrote for the New York Times, that the famed producer of dozens of media projects had silenced his victims. Furthermore, they exposed the toxicity that many up and coming actresses went through at the hands of the media mogul. However, they weren’t the only ones to suffer.
As we mentioned earlier, his wife was Georgina Chapman, a founder of the fashion label Marchesa who also suffered. However, unlike her husband’s victims, she allegedly had zero clue what had been going on. Felix Allen of The Sun reported the fashion designer had decided to break off her ten-year marriage.
At the time, Georgina put out a statement, which read:
My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions. I have chosen to leave my husband. Caring for my young children is my first priority and I ask the media for privacy at this time.
Georgina Chapman announces she is leaving her husband, Harvey Weinstein, October 2017
What Did Georgina Chapman Know?
At the time of the allegations surfacing, speculation arose of what Georgina knew and didn’t know, regarding her husband’s actions. According to Jocelyn Noveck of AP News, the fashion designer and former Mrs Weinstein broke down in tears during her first interview post-scandal. She told Vogue in May 2018 that she had no clue of what her husband had been doing and that she was naive. The article states her main concern was her two children with Weinstein, India and Dashiell.
However, Mike Miller wrote in People Magazine after the scandal had hit in mid-October 2017 that while Georgina knew about Weinstein’s temper, she was not aware of his double life. Ultimately, this backs up what Chapman told Vogue several months later.
Marchesa Begins To Suffer In The Scandal Aftermath
With Harvey in damage control and being fired from The Weinstein Company as per Mia Galuppo and Pamela Mcclintock of the Hollywood Reporter, Georgina’s fashion label started to suffer. Marchesa was losing clients and fast. Since the scandal, women from all over Hollywood were boycotting the brand due to the Weinstein association.
Female celebrities turned their nose up at the brand. What’s more, it has since come out that Weinstein provided money to help Georgina set the business up in 2004 while the couple was dating alongside Keren Craig. Furthermore, the producer also bullied actresses into wearing his wife’s brand on the red carpet, according to Grazia Magazine’s Jessica Bailey.
Jennifer Aniston confirmed she was one of the actresses who was bullied by the producer. Alicia Brunker of Instyle wrote in 2019 that the former Friends star alleges that the producer ordered her to wear one of his wife’s designs. However, she told him “no”. According to Jennifer, this occurred when Marchesa was starting up. Harvey had approached her in London, where she’d been working. She also revealed this was the only time he ever bullied her.
What Saved Marchesa?
As more women came forward with their experiences with Weinstein, it became harder for Georgina to keep her business afloat. However, after some time had passed, the storm lifted. Actress, Scarlett Johansson, accompanied by her then-boyfriend (now husband) Colin Yost, attended the 2018 Met Gala wearing a Marchesa gown. The New York Times’s Vanessa Friedman wrote that the actress had been asked by Entertainment Tonight, as reported by Desiree Murphy, why she’d worn the brand in which she replied:
I wore Marchesa because their clothes make women feel confident and beautiful, and it is my pleasure to support a brand created by two incredibly talented and important female designers.
Scarlett Johansson on why she wore Marchesa to the 2018 Met Gala – Entertainment Tonight
While Scarlett might’ve started the movement of placing Marchesa back on the red carpets, she would not be the last. Anna Wintour also backed Georgina during an appearance on Stephen Colbert’s late-night show.
Wintour has worked with some of the world’s biggest fashion magazines. She’s also a powerful player in the fashion industry. If either of them had thought that Georgina and Marchesa shouldn’t be supported, they would’ve said so.
Georgina And Her Association With Harvey Shouldn’t Define Her Brand
To finish this post, we have to say something. We didn’t see an issue with the Marchesa brand before (or after) the Weinstein scandal broke. Yes, he helped fund the brand’s launch. But, he’s not a fashion designer. Also, it was wrong of him to push the label down women’s throats. We’re sure in his fragile mind he was helping Georgina get clients. However, threatening them isn’t the way to go.
Also, we believe Georgina when she says that she had no idea Harvey was a sexual predator. Call us naive, but you cannot assume someone knew something without definitive proof. Losing clients would’ve been difficult for her. Moreover, she couldn’t do a thing to stop it.
Georgina is a strong and resilient woman who doesn’t stand for the behaviour her now ex-husband displayed. If she thought he was innocent, she would’ve remained married to him. Also, her brand, regardless of whether Weinstein helped financially in the early days, shouldn’t be associated with his crimes. As we’ve said. He’s not involved in fashion. Putting his ex in the category of guilty by association is like saying she committed the same indecent acts he did.
In conclusion, what Harvey did has nothing to do with Georgina. Therefore his influence has zero to do with Marchesa. To even place her in that category is criminal within itself.
