Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein used his fashion businesses as a way to get in close contact with models, according to recent allegations.
Weinstein, known for being the co-founder of Miramax, also oversaw a number of fashion projects.
One of them the mogul invested in was a clothing brand called Halston. He also supported the company Marchesa, another clothing brand, which was co-founded by his wife and former model, Georgina Chapman. Weinstein also produced the reality TV show “Project Runway.”
On the Project Runway show, aspiring fashion designers compete for a $100,000 prize, but Weinstein insisted that the show incorporate more models, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“He kept asking: ‘Where’s my model show? He wouldn’t drop it,” a former employee told the newspaper.
So far, eleven former or current models have come forward to accuse the producer of assault or harassment. Project Runway first launched back in 2004, and after its 16th season, is one of Miramax’s most popular television franchises.
Just last week, model and actor Cara Delevingne added her voice to the growing number of women speaking out against Weinstein. In a lengthy Instagram post, she detailed how he had harassed her.
Another aspiring actress, Lucia Evans, told the New Yorker that Weinstein said during a meeting that she would “be great in Project Runaway,” before he forced her to perform a sexual act.
According to reports, Weinstein is currently under investigation for sexual assault in Los Angeles, New York, and London.
A source told Page Six that Weinstein doesn’t attend group sessions anymore, and instead receives individual treatment and that he is accompanied by a therapist at all times.
“He insists he never raped or assaulted anyone, and that all the encounters were consensual. He realizes he has acted like an [expletive], but he still insists he’s not a rapist,” the second source said.