When allegations of sexual abuse against Harvey Weinstein erupted in October, the media mogul’s designer wife, Georgina Chapman, and Marchesa, the high fashion house she cofounded, suffered collateral damage.
Once a red carpet staple, the womenswear label disappeared from the orbit of stylists and A-listers, and in February, Chapman and business partner Keren Craig pulled the plug on their New York Fashion Week show.
For months, it seemed the company would not survive. But with the support of celebrities like Vanessa Hudgens, the fashion label might be poised for a comeback.
The actress became the latest VIP to wear a Marchesa gown, stepping out in a beautiful strapless tulle dress from the company’s spring ’18 collection at a star-studded film premiere last night in Los Angeles for her new movie project, “Dog Days.”
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It’s not the first time Marchesa has made a sartorial post-scandal statement. Scarlett Johansson memorably appeared at the Met Gala dressed in the label’s similarly ethereal tulle off-the-shoulder gown in a burgundy and blush ombré.
“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,” the “Avengers” actress explained in a statement that defended her choice of dress.
Two days after the Met Gala, Condé Nast artistic director and Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour appeared on Stephen Colbert’s show, where she said, “I think it was a great gesture of support on Scarlett’s part to wear a dress like that … on such a public occasion.”
The magazine went on to print an interview with Chapman in which she addressed the controversy and her choice to file for divorce from the film producer. “There was a part of me that was terribly naive — clearly, so naive. I have moments of rage, I have moments of confusion, I have moments of disbelief,” the designer said. “And I have moments when I just cry for my children. What are their lives going to be?” (The couple share two kids, 7-year-old daughter India Pearl and 5-year-old son Dashiell.)
As for others who have recently worn a Marchesa gown, both Virginia Joy Williams, now Pusha T’S wife, and Senator John McCain’s daughter, Meghan, chose Marchesa for their respective weddings. The company also received a $6 million investment from a mystery donor.
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Designer Georgina Chapman Cancels Her Marchesa New York Fashion Week Show
