Donna Karan has apologized after defending Harvey Weinstein amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
The fashion designer was initially asked about the film producer’s scandal while attending the CinéFashion Film Awards in L.A. on Sunday, October 8, and suggested that the women might be “asking for” it.
“How do we display ourselves? How do we present ourselves as women? What are we asking? Are we asking for it by presenting all the sensuality and sexuality?” Karan asked at the time, according to a Daily Mail video. “You look at everything all over the world today, how women are dressing and what they’re asking by just presenting themselves the way they do. What are they asking for? Trouble.”
Karan also noted that Weinstein, 65, and his wife, designer Georgina Chapman, are “wonderful” people.
Karan later backtracked in a statement to Us Weekly. “[I] made a statement that was not representative of how I feel or what I believe,” she said on Monday. “My statements were taken out of context and do not represent how I feel about the current situation concerning Harvey Weinstein. I believe that sexual harassment is NOT acceptable and this is an issue that MUST be addressed once and for all regardless of the individual. I am truly sorry to anyone that I offended and everyone that has ever been a victim.”
As previously reported, Weinstein was fired from his company on Sunday after The New York Times published a report detailing decades of sexual harassment claims against him, one in which was made by actress Ashley Judd. “In light of new information about misconduct by Harvey Weinstein that has emerged in the past few days, the directors of The Weinstein Company — Robert Weinstein, Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg and Tarak Ben Ammar — have determined, and have informed Harvey Weinstein, that his employment with The Weinstein Company is terminated, effective immediately,” the Weinstein Company board of representatives said in a statement to Us Weekly.
Many stars have since condemned his actions, including Rose McGowan, George Clooney, Jennifer Lawrence, Seth Rogen, Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep.
