Tag: Paul Marciano

February 1, 2018

by Colleen McGregor

The stock value of fashion company Guess sharply declined one day after supermodel Kate Upton accused Guess co-founder/creative director Paul Marciano of sexual harassment. On January 31, 2018, Upton took to social media to post this message: “It’s disappointing that such an iconic women’s brand @GUESS is still empowering Paul Marciano as their creative director. #metoo.” She later wrote in a separate message: “He shouldn’t be allowed to use his power in the industry to sexually and emotionally harass women #metoo,”

Shares in Guess dropped nearly 18% on February 1, 2018, according to MarketWatch. As one of Guess’s biggest shareholders, Marciano owns about 12,367,360 shares, so the sharp decline in the company’s stock has cost him about $40 million on February 1, 2018.

Upton did not give further details in her online accusation but she said in a TMZ paparazzi video that she will eventually tell her full story. Marciano told TMZ in response to Upton’s accusation: “If she has a claim, there’s one place to tell the truth and that’s in court or to the police.”

Marciano co-founded Guess in 1981 with his brothers Georges, Armand, Maurice and Paul. Upton was a Guess model in 2010 and 2011. Other famous women who have been Guess models range from Claudia Schiffer and Anna Nicole Smith in the 1990s to Paris Hilton in the 2000s to more recent models such as Gigi Hadid, singer Camila Cabello and Jennifer Lopez.

Lopez is the star of Guess’ Spring 2018 campaign. She issued this statement to Us Weekly:  “My position on these issues is well known, as I have been very vocal about them. I do not condone any acts of sexual harassment, violation, or misconduct. Any accusations should be fully and thoroughly investigated. I will continue to support our rights as women.”

February 9, 2018 UPDATE:

Kate Upton has given interviews to Time magazine and ABC’s “Good Morning America” detailing her allegations against Paul Marciano. She claims that in 2010, when she was 18, Marciano made unwanted sexual advances toward her during a lingerie photo shoot. Upton says that he groped her breasts and told her it was because he wanted to see if her breasts were real. Upton also says that Marciano grabbed the back of her head so she could not move and began kissing her on her neck and  lips without her consent. Fashion photographer Yu Tsai says he was an eyewitness to this alleged harassment, and he backs up Upton’s story. Upton also claims that on this occasion and others, Paul Marciano aggressively touched her and tried to get her to be alone with him, but she refused. Paul Marciano is still saying that Upton’s claims are “utterly false.”