Danielle Bernstein: Who Is She And What Are People Saying She’s Done Wrong?

It’s generally a good thing for influencers to be tagged in fellow influencers’ photos, but there’s one page you don’t want to end up on: Diet Prada’s. The account, which has amassed a formidable following of 2.2 million, is the fashion industry’s unofficial regulator, holding its players to account by calling out copying, cultural appropriation and serious issues like workplace harassment.

One influencer who’s recently fallen short of their standards is Danielle Bernstein. As well as posting under @weworewhat, the influencer has launched a related feed called @wegavewhat, a platform that supports charitable initiatives and raises awareness for small businesses. This, perhaps, is one reason why she’s incurred the wrath of Diet Prada, who, on 21 July, accused her of ripping off a linen mask design from Second Wind, a brand selling hand-made masks that was started ‘to inspire people to feel confident, stylish and comfortable within our new normal.'

According to its post: ‘Danielle Bernstein announced today that her @shopweworewhat line would shortly be stocking linen masks adorned with a safety chain. It’s a cute idea — and she appears to have lifted it directly from @bysecondwind , who began offering masks June 1st.’ The plot then thickens. ‘On June 29, Danielle reached out to the brand via DM, and hustled some free masks. On July 2, she messaged again with a heads up... she was launching her own masks. Don’t worry, though, according to Danielle they’re not a copy!’

Bernstein has since released a statement explaining that her masks went into production a few weeks before she was even introduced to Second Wind and, according to E!, she eventually shared a screenshot of an email dated 19 May that, she claims, proves she started the process earlier. Yes, it’s as convoluted as it sounds, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Unfortunately for Bernstein, subsequent allegations have emerged. On 15 July, she posted saying she was planning to remake a pair of vintage shorts, according to Insider. It turns out the ‘vintage’ shorts were actually from an Australian shop on Etsy called Art Garments. (Bernstein has since backtracked and said that a team member bought the shorts from Art Garments.)

The screws have since tightened further, with a New York lingerie label, The Great Eros, accusing the influencer of using an almost identical print to its nude women design on a swimsuit. Speaking to Page Six, The Great Eros’s co-owner, Christina Viviani, said: ‘Influencers at her level have such an impact and are abusing their power to influence. She is able to bulldoze over brands.’

Although she helped launch American Influencer Council, it seems she’s since been removed from the webpage where its founding members are listed. What will emerge next? Watch this space.