GEORGINA CHAPMAN HAS spoken publicly for the first time since the scandal broke surrounding her soon-to-be-ex-husband Harvey Weinstein.
Weinstein’s serial abusing and harassment of women in Hollywood, including very high profile actresses such as Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Gwyneth Paltrow, jumpstarted the #MeToo and #TimesUp movement. The scandal signaled the end for Weinstein’s career as the King of Hollywood.
Weinstein was so influential in the movie industry that he was the second most thanked person in Oscar speeches, just behind Steven Spielberg and just ahead of God
No joke, Harvey was a God in Hollywood.
And just like God didn’t really bother with the issue of consent with the Virgin Mary and the whole immaculate conception thing, Harvey didn’t let a lil issue like consent stop him. He abused his esteemed position in Hollywood for his own sexual gratification. Any actress who defied him, ran the risk of having their names blacklisted in Hollywood and smeared as difficult to work with.
The biggest film franchise of the 21st century was The Lord of the Rings triology, and Weinstein made sure to tell filmaker Peter Jackson not to hire Ashley Judd and Oscar Winner Mira Sorvino, the women who stood up to him.
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Weinstein destroyed many a career of women who tried to defy him. And in the wake of his scandal, another woman saw hers left in tatters: his (his soon-to-be-ex) wife, Georgina Chapman, who is a co-founder of the fashion label Marchesa.
Speaking with Vogue Magazine, Chapman has broken her silence on the extraordinary circumstances of the past few months. She has explained how difficult the past few months personally have been for her:
I was so humiliated and so broken . . . that . . . I, I, I . . . didn’t think it was respectful to go out. I thought, Who am I to be parading around with all of this going on? It’s still so very, very raw.
On getting help during this time, the designer said:
“At first I couldn’t [see a therapist], because I was too shocked. And I somehow felt that I didn’t deserve it. And then I realized: This has happened. I have to own it. I have to move forward.”
However, there are those that say that the scandal could not have been a shock to Chapman, as Weinstein's bullying and sexual harassment was a very-well known secret in elite circles. Bethenny Frankel, a cast member of Real Housewives of New York City, alleged this in October :
I've met Harvey Weinstein, I was at his home for a charity event. I've seen him a couple of times. He ran the show, he was a very intimidating character that was kind of sleazy. is wife is definitely not surprised, nor was anyone that he worked with.
But Chapman maintains that she was 'naive'.
In the interview with Vogue, Chapman cries as she expands on the range of emotions she has felt since the scandal broke last October:
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! And I have moments when I just cry for my children. What are their lives going to be?
Vogue, at this point in the interview, explain that an assistant arrived with a box of tissues as Chapman broke down:
What are people going to say to them? It’s like, they love their dad. They love him. I just can’t bear it for them!
Chapman is referring to 7 year old daughter India and 5 year old son Dashiell, the children she shares with Weinstein. Reading this is truly heartbreaking, and shows the horrendous mess that an abuser like Weinstein leaves behind for his family, as well as the difficulty that children face when they are caught up in the terrible actions of a parent.
The difficulty with Marchesa lies in the alleged bullying role that Weinstein played in kickstarting the label. Whilst Vogue highlights the numerous ways that Marchesa was successful without Weinstein's help, it's clear that dating the King of Hollywood definitely helped Chapman's brand become one of the best known labels in Hollywood. Weinstein would attend Marchesa's shows, usually with a celebrity in tow which drummed up a lot of publicity.
That in itself is not problematic.
But this is: in the wake of his abuse scandal, it emerged that actresses like Felicity Huffman and Jessica Chastain had been pressurised by Weinstein to wear Marchesa at the premieres of movies he produced. Hmm...
In January, Chapman cancelled Marchesa's runway show for fall 2018, and for the awards season, a decision was made not to offer to dress any attendees. Chapman explains:
We didn’t feel it was appropriate given the situation. All the women who have been hurt deserve dignity and respect, so I want to give it the time it deserves. It's a time for mourning, really.
But at the Met Gala on Monday, Scarlett Johansson stunned many when she arrived wearing a Marchesa gown.
Scarlett explained her reasoning for choosing to wear Marchesa:
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.
Anna Wintour last night came out in support of Chapman's label when speaking to Steven Colbert on his show, by saying:
Georgina is a brilliant designer, and I don't think that she should be blamed for her husband's behavior. I think it was a great gesture of support on Scarlett's part to wear a dress like—a beautiful dress like that on such a public occasion.
Definitely a difficult conundrum for Hollywood actresses to figure out in the future. Almost makes me glad I don't get invited to the Met and the Oscars.
