Update: Despite confirming a spot on the official New York Fashion Week calendar, People reports that Marchesa, the evening wear company owned by Georgina Chapman, Harvey Weinstein's estranged wife, and designer Keren Craig, has cancelled its runway show in favor of something less conventional (and perhaps less likely to attract press attention). “Marchesa is looking forward to presenting their fall '18 collection in an updated format this season,” a spokesperson for the brand told the magazine, confirming that while the label will continue to operate business as usual going forward, it will likely maintain a more under-the-radar profile as long as Weinstein remains in the news (a stark contrast for Marchesa, whose front row is normally jam-packed with celebrities).
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This story was originally published on December 17, 2017.
Georgina Chapman has been lying low in the months since news broke that her estranged husband, Harvey Weinstein, allegedly assaulted and harassed dozens of women. She filed for divorce almost immediately, but many have presumed that her fashion label would suffer by association. While the full fallout from the scandal remains to be seen, Marchesa is set to resurface this winter, showing at New York Fashion Week on February 14, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Chapman last presented her designs on October 5, just as the allegations against her husband were being published.
Marchesa, which Chapman co-founded with Keren Craig in 2004, long enjoyed a reputation as a red carpet and bridal favorite. Regardless of whether or not Chapman was aware of her husband's actions, her label benefited by its association with actresses who were involved in Weinstein productions. Actress Felicity Huffman told THR that Weinstein compelled her to wear Marchesa when she was promoting Transamerica.
Still, some see it as unfair to blame his wife for what he did. Meghan McCain said as much after wearing a Marchesa gown to her wedding last month,
"The scandal erupted and everybody was like, are you going to keep the dress?" the Arizona senator's daughter told People. "And I was like, why should the two women designers be punished for a man’s disgusting behavior? I just didn’t wanna feel like the people who had worked there and make their livelihood should be punished as well."
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Chapman's friend Alyssa Milano recently told Megyn Kelly on Today that the designer is sad and "goes through very dark times," but that she would come out on the other side. This statement upset Milano's Charmed costar Rose McGowan, who claims Weinstein raped her.
"You make me want to vomit. You actually gave me a body flashback," McGowan tweeted after Milano's interview. "Alyssa, maybe you and Georgina can call up Camille Cosby."
An executive at Neiman Marcus told THR that Marchesa sales have not been affected by the Weinstein news this fall. When awards season gets under way in January and February, the red carpet will be the true test of whether celebrities feel they can wear Marchesa without feeling like they're siding against victims of sexual assault.
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call theRAINN Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).