It’s been about seven months since we last saw a Marchesa creation hit the red carpet at a big-ticket Hollywood event, but yesterday, Scarlett Johannson singlehandedly tried to bring the brand back from the dead.
Johannson glided down the red carpet at the Met Gala wearing a red gown with an ombre tulle skirt (that didn’t particularly hit the mark for fashionistas with only a subtle nod to the evening’s theme).
The decision to wear Marchesa was obviously a conscious one – and one the actress was surely hoping would send a message.
After all, Marchesa isn’t just any ol’ brand. It’s a couture label co-designed by Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman – the ex-wife of Harvey Weinstein.
Since the Weinstein scandal first broke last year, finding a celebrity willing to wear a Marchesa creation in public was like trying to find the deeper meaning to a Jackass movie.
Impossible.
Chapman even postponed the label’s spring 2018 collection press preview in light of the controversy.
While the women behind the Marchesa brand are in no way responsible for Weinstein’s actions and should not be punished, Johannson’s move to get the brand back in the headlines for presumably all the right reasons still feels rushed and just a little bit off.
Why? Well, Marchesa haven’t come out with any kind of statement regarding the Weinstein controversy.
They need to speak out and take a stand – whatever that may be.
They are a brand headlined by women, for women, and their ties to Weinstein absolutely helped the sales of their clothes before he was dethroned.
If you’re in it for the good times, you’re in it for the bad times.
Their silence at Marchesa been duly noted, and solely relying on a celebrity to revive the brand is not the right or responsible way to go about things.
Brand owners need to have ownership of what’s happening when it directly affects their business.
By ignoring the elephant (monster) in the room, Marchesa are essentially moving forward as if nothing has happened, instead simply recruiting a female celebrity to wear one of their dresses on the world’s biggest runway.
Marchesa aren’t responsible for Weinstein or the suffering he caused, but they are responsible for the management of their brand.
Complacency can be dangerous when your brand is only a household name because your husband recruited all of his celebrity connections to wear the outfits and your business is built on the back of intimidation.
That’s not to say the women behind Marchesa don’t have immense talent, they do, but before the brand sends anyone else down the red carpet or the runway, they need to acknowledge their situation and move forward with grit and integrity.
Maybe then we can truly get back to enjoying the brand for what it is – beautifully elegant designs that would make any woman feel special.
In a quote provided to the Cut, Johansson said she chose to wear Marchesa to support the women behind the brand.
“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.”
Is this Johannson’s way of saying women shouldn’t be penalised for the actions of the men in their lives – be it their brothers, sons, husbands, or friends?
Probably, and she’s absolutely right.
Scarlett Johansson wore Marchesa. #MetGala
That's pretty major of her and I hope it's the end of the icing out of the brand. Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig are NOT responsible for Harvey Weinstein. Stop punishing them.— Buhle Mbonambi (@Buhlebonga) May 8, 2018
But Marchesa needs to do more to ensure its customers know exactly where they stand.
This includes more than just releasing a statement about Johannson’s dress choice.
“We are truly honored that Scarlett chose to wear Marchesa for the Met Gala. She is an amazingly talented actor who has incredible style and presence. It was wonderful to work so closely with her in creating this custom look.”