Fresh reports are claiming that Harvey Weinstein's influence over Hollywood extended even further than originally thought, with some claiming that he promoted the success of his now estranged wife Georgina Chapman's fashion brand Marchesa by threatening A-listers who didn't wear it on the red carpet.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Weinstein would pressure actresses to wear his wife's brand, which helped transform it into a household name within three years of its launch. Stars who have worn it include Sienna Miller, who was reportedly coerced into wearing the brand for the Golden Globes in 2007 when she sat on Weinstein's table. She had apparently been considering other designers at the time.
'He was the mastermind behind Marchesa — orchestrating deals and using his influence in terms of the celebrity connections for her on behalf of the brand,' a fashion publicist from LA told the online magazine.
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Journalist Courtney Enrow first made the link in a piece for Pajiba in 2010, writing: 'The Harvey Girls are easily spotted. They are all very pretty, often in a rather generic sense. Their instant fame and the push behind them comes seemingly out of nowhere and without any justification in terms of resume or skill set. Most obviously, at least as of 2007, they are clothed exclusively in Marchesa on the red carpet.'
Although Chapman has now announced her separation from her husband, it is thought that the association could still affect the brand, with one New York-based PR telling the Hollywood Reporter that: 'No star is ever going to want to wear the brand again'.
The news comes after the New York Times' explosive expose last Thursday which saw several women claim that the famous movie mogul had behaved innappropiately towards them. Since then, more high profile actresses have come forward with their own stories of sexual harrassment, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Cara Delevingne, Lea Seydoux and Romola Garai. Meanwhile various men who worked with Weinstein have spoken out against the producer, including Colin Firth, who described him as a 'frightening man to stand up to'.
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