Brands are dropping Jessica Mulroney following claims of her 'problematic behaviour'
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Updates to an earlier version of this story have been added below.
Several companies have announced their decision to forego partnerships with Jessica Mulroney, just hours after the Canadian brand strategist issued a second formal apology for her “problematic behaviour” towards blogger Sasha Exeter.
On Wednesday, Exeter released an 11 minute video detailing her experience with Mulroney whom she alleges utilized her white privilege and status to intimidate her. The single mom and entrepreneur also revealed Mulroney making a written threat do speak to several brands and companies about Exeter’s “unfair” treatment towards her.
Mulroney issued an apology to Exeter on Wednesday in the video’s comments, which Exeter then revealed, was accompanied by a private message on Instagram announcing plans to sue Exeter for libel — which Mulroney has since walked back on in an Instagram post.
Following Exeters reveal, Mulroney shared a second formal apology to social media, apologizing for her actions once more.
Bell Media and CTV, the network behind Mulroney’s reality-TV show “I Do, Redo” released a formal statement Thursday afternoon announcing that the show would be pulled from “all Bell Media channels and streaming platforms effective immediately.”
A post shared by CTV (@ctv) on Jun 11, 2020 at 2:47pm PDT
Following the news from Bell Media and CTV, Mulroney shared a statement to Instagram stories, saying she “respects” the network’s decision and plans to “step away from professional engagements” to “reflect” and “learn” from the experience.
CTV’s statement was followed by an announcement from Cityline, a daytime television show, which informed fans that Mulroney would no longer appear on the show as a recurring fashion expert.
Tracy Moore, the host of Cityline and a friend of Mulroney’s, shared her feelings on Instagram following the news of her former colleague.
“Let’s unlearn lashing out at Black women as a legitimate response to feeling called out,” she wrote. “Unlearn privilege as a shield for your white fragility and use it instead to protect those who need it.”
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Moore wrote that her relationship with Mulroney makes the situation especially difficult since she is both a friend and a Black woman committed to her community.
A post shared by Tracy Moore (@thetracymoore) on Jan 8, 2020 at 4:55am PST
“The emotional labour often falls on our backs to speak up, push through and fight hard,” she continued. “The price for both staying silent or speaking up? Immense. Cue the extreme exhaustion.”
In terms of brand partnerships, Hudson’s Bay announced their plans to sever ties with Mulroney after nearly six years. Mulroney joined the Canadian retailer in 2014 to help launch the opening of Kleinfeld Bridal boutique in Toronto. Since then, she had gone on to work for the company as a public relations expert, consultant and most recently a spokesperson for their CORE Life brand.
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“Over the past week Hudson’s Bay has committed to do better. We are taking stock of how we do business, including who we work with, to ensure we are contributing to the change the world needs now, the statement read. “As we move forward, our leadership, associates and ambassadors must reflect our brand values of inclusivity, equality, and respect for all. We will not tolerate anything less. In light of recent events Jessica Mulroney will no longer represent Hudson’s Bay or Kleinfeld Canada as a fashion and bridal specialist.”
Smash +Tess, an ethically designed fashion brand, also severed ties with Mulroney, less than a month after the release of a wedding-themed collaboration.
“Smash + Tess is a brand that was built on universal inclusivity. Period. We endeavour to create clothing and build a community that respects, cherishes, strengthens, shelters, and embraces,” the brand said via Instagram stories. “The values of one of our recent collaborators have been called into question. As our mandate is unwavering, we have chosen to end this partnership effective immediately.”
Update
On Friday afternoon, Good Morning America released a statement regarding their future with Mulroney, echoing the stylist’s decision to forego all professional engagements.
“As Jessica Mulroney said last night, she is stepping away from her professional engagements and that includes Good Morning America,” the statement read. “She will no longer appear on our show.”
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