Georgina Chapman's Marchesa jewelry dropped by licensee after Harvey Weinstein scandal
Georgina Chapman announced Tuesday that she is leaving her Hollywood producer husband Harvey Weinstein as more accusers have gone public with their stories of his sexual misconduct, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie.
The scandal already appears to be starting to affect the bottom line of Chapman's fashion brand Marchesa, which had been a mainstay of the Hollywood red carpet and has licensed jewelry and accessories lines.
On Oct. 5, the same day the bombshell story was published in The New York Times, Chapman and co-designer Karen Craig showed their Marchesa and Marchesa Notte bridal lines at New York Bridal Fashion Week, and Kansas City, Mo-based Helzberg Diamonds announced a new "Marchesa Radiant Star" collection of engagement rings.
The 18-piece collection was due to arrive in stores this month, but as of Oct. 11, links to information about it are no longer working on the website of Helzberg Diamonds, a brand whose tagline is "Here's to Love." A representative for Helzberg confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that "the company is not launching the Marchesa brand at this time," but had no further comment. Representatives for Chapman did not return request for comment.
Previously branded as the "Marchesa Radiant Star" collection on Instagram, the same pieces now simply read "Radiant Star" on Helzberg's website.
The family-founded, 102-year-old jeweler was acquired in 1995 by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Company, has previously licensed collections for Zac Posen and Disney, and sells through a network of more than 200 of its own stores as well as other retailers.
Chapman was in the middle of Marchesa's bridal fashion show when the Times report was being circulated. Afterward, she posted photos of some of the gowns on her Instagram site, immediately drawing comments about Weinstein, such as this from @bythebeachboy: "Funny how you make so much money off young women while your husband has been assaulting them." The comments were later deleted from the account.
The company's decision raises questions about what kind of message it's sending to women with this development, considering that Marchesa is Chapman's business — not Weinstein's — and she was not the abuser.
