WHY KATE UPTON IS ACCUSING GUESS CO-FOUNDER PAUL MARCIANO OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT NOW
Actress and model Kate Upton explained in an interview on ABC News’ “Good Morning America” today why she has come forward eight years after alleged incidents of sexual harassment she said she faced when working alongside Guess Inc. co-founder Paul Marciano as a teenager.
"I wanted to prevent that from happening to other girls," she told "GMA" co-host Robin Roberts.
Upton, 25, also reiterated previous comments, alleging that Marciano fondled her breasts during her first photo shoot for the brand in 2010 and continued to behave inappropriately toward her in professional settings for a few months after.
After meeting with young models and seeing how excited they were to launch their careers, Upton said, she "remembered being in that place" and how her view of the industry changed shortly after her alleged encounters with Marciano.
Marciano has denied the allegations.
 |
| PHOTO: The red carpet at the Guess Fashion Show circa 2011 with Paul Marciano and Kate Upton. (Buddy Bartelsen/ullstein bild/Getty Images) |
Upton also alleged in a recent interview with Time magazine that after she rebuffed his advances several times in 2011, Marciano spread rumors about her, called her a "fat pig" and fired her. She chose not to work with the brand again, the actress said.
"It had a huge emotional impact," she told “GMA” today. "It made me question what I was doing. ... How I was putting myself out there to be treated in that way."
The actress and supermodel said she started to wear baggier clothing and started to blame herself.
"I had to go through this moment, where I was like, 'This is not my fault,'" she said.
 |
| PHOTO: A Guess store is pictured on Feb. 1, 2018, in San Francisco. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) |
Photographer Yu Tsai, who worked with Upton on her first two of four shoots with Guess, corroborated her allegations to "Good Morning America." Upton previously told Timemagazine that Tsai was fired "in what seemed to be retaliation" for his acting as a buffer for her.
“I’m extremely moved by the strength and courage that it has taken Kate Upton to tell her story and for the countless brave women and men who have already come forward,” Tsai told "Good Morning America" in an interview Wednesday. “They are setting incredible examples and paving the way for those who may be afraid or even more so -- for those that who feel voiceless and destined to suffer in silence.”
Tsai declined to comment to ABC News on why he was fire and Guess did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment about Upton's interpretation of the firing.
But Marciano has denied Upton's initial account to Time, calling it "absolutely false."
"The claim that I groped Kate Upton the first time I ever met her and in front of dozens of people in a busy hotel lobby is preposterous. I have never been alone with Kate Upton. I have never touched her inappropriately. Nor would I ever refer to a Guess model in such a derogatory manner," he stated. "I have devoted my entire career to building a fashion company and brand that have a long and proud record of empowering women. I fully support the #metoo movement. At the same time, I will not allow others to defame me and tarnish my reputation.
"I have pledged to Guess and its Board of Directors my full support and cooperation with a fair and impartial investigation," he continued. "I have complete trust and confidence that a review of all of the facts -- not fabricated and baseless allegations -- will prove that the accusations against me are untruthful.”
 |
| PHOTO: Paul Marciano speaks at GUESS Flagship Boutique on Nov. 10, 2011, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Rebecca Sapp/WireImage via Getty Images FILE) |
(c) yahoo.com
Comments
Post a Comment