In the months since the Harvey Weinstein allegations broke, Georgina Chapman, ex-wife of Weinstein and co-founder of the fashion atelier Marchesa, has receded from public view and remained pointedly silent. Nearly 7 months later, the mother of two and fashion designer has finally broken her silence on the future of her fashion line (amongst other things) in a new interview with Vogue.
Following the scandal, Marchesa didn’t show a collection for Fall/Winter 2018, which was a pointed decision on the part of Chapman and her longtime business partner Karen Craig. But the line has slowly made its way back into public view, most pointedly with Scarlett Johansson deciding to wear one their designs of the 2018 Met Gala on May 7 — a move that raised quite a few eyebrows from onlookers, even though Marchesa had been a red carpet mainstay in years past.
In fact, speculation was that Marchesa would likely cease to exist in the aftermath of the allegations. As it happens, it was Chapman’s decision to not offer any clothes to actresses during awards season. “We didn’t feel it was appropriate given the situation,” she told Vogue. “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 loyal supporters of the brand, like Johansson still reached out, according to Chapman. So, while the brand might be in flux, they have not made the decision to shutter entirely, a move that took into consideration loyalty to their 80 employees as well. Whether the fashion world is truly ready for the label to rebound and once again become a staple on the red carpet, time will tell.
