While the late designer Vivienne Westwood was widely celebrated as a champion of the LGBTQ+ community, a recent investigation suggests that her eponymous fashion house, specifically its CEO Carlo D’Amario, may not share the same values. According to a report in The Guardian newspaper, an independent inquiry has upheld multiple allegations of homophobic behaviour against D’Amario.
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The claims first surfaced in 2023 when the CEO was accused of bullying and using homophobic slurs.
Now, after an extensive investigation, five allegations against him have been found to be valid, stated the report.
Cora Corré's departure and further claims
In November 2023, Vivienne Westwood’s granddaughter, Cora Corré, publicly resigned from the company, citing D’Amario’s alleged misconduct.
She accused him of attempting to block trademarks to prevent the Vivienne Foundation, a charity established by Westwood, from raising funds.
Corré also claimed that D’Amario had bullied Westwood herself in an effort to retain his position as CEO.
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Findings of the investigation
According to The Guardian, the independent inquiry by investigator Paul Livingston included interviews with multiple employees.
The findings, for instance, confirmed that D’Amario had given a former employee multiple derogatory nicknames based on his sexuality.
The investigation also revealed that while top company executives, including D’Amario, were required to complete mandatory workplace harassment training, many, including the CEO himself, had not done so.
Despite the findings, Carlo D’Amario has denied all accusations, and as of now, the company has not taken any action against him, said the report.
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