The Fashion Industry is Canceling Stephen Ross-Associated Projects

Nikki Ogunnaike
Updated

From ELLE

Late last week, after news broke that Stephen Ross, billionaire chairman of The Related Companies, would be throwing a fundraiser to help fund the re-election of President Donald Trump, much of the internet, for lack of a better term, snapped.

When it was revealed that The Related Companies owned Equinox, Soul Cycle, and a host of other properties, people immediately called for boycotts of the brands. And upon learning that Ross and Related were behind New York City's Hudson Yards, a new $25 billion project where many fashion shows are rumored to be taking place this upcoming New York Fashion Week season, the notoriously liberal fashion industry got involved.

In a series of tweets, Gurung, who had been in talks to stage his 10th Anniversary show at Hudson Yards’ The Vessel during New York Fashion Week, wrote:

"This is no longer about party lines, especially now with all the mass murders at the hands of domestic terrorists and white supremacists. Rather, this is a choice that one needs to make now. This is about choosing between two sides, the right or the wrong sides of the history. I am not calling this out to be part of the cancel culture or start some tirade against people, but rather to question these individuals whose motivation seems to be nothing but $$$ and to also challenge our own integrity and choices that we make everyday. My goal here is to start a dialogue and maybe, hopefully, change some minds.I was previously in conversation with Hudson Yards’ The Vessel as the venue for my brand’s upcoming 10 year show during NYFW. When I heard about this fundraiser, I chose to pull my participation."

Photo credit: Twitter
Photo credit: Twitter
Photo credit: Twitter
Photo credit: Twitter

In a Business of Fashion op-ed written by Out magazine's Phill Picardi, Picardi wrote that Ross' wife, Kara Ross, is currently a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Late Friday night, Fallon jewelry designer Dana Lorenz withdrew her membership from the CFDA.

In a post on Instagram, Lorenz wrote, "I regretfully, but with great certainty, cancel my membership to the Council of Fashion Designers of America. After many years of membership I will no longer participate if a woman that funds the current administration remains on the board."

View this post on Instagram

Dear Mr. Ford, Mr. Kolb, members and board of the CFDA, Effective immediately, I regretfully but with great certainty, cancel my membership to the Council of Fashion Designers of America. After many years of membership I will no longer participate if a woman that funds the current administration remains on the board. I will no longer be a part of what seems to be allowing a pay for play, money over merit arrangement with someone that clearly wants to advance an agenda that is hurting many businesses large and small with this trade war. I do not feel her views speak for me as a member and I will not allow her to make decisions on my behalf. I thought about this decision well, and although I appreciated support in the beginnings of my career, I no longer feel the membership represents me. I will fondly remember hearing I was nominated for a CFDA Award, I will gratefully remember my time as a CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund nominee, and I will always be thankful for your ear, Steven. However, after emailing you about concerns as to the board seat of Mrs. Ross I was met with a response that felt very much like the pacifying public statements from SoulCycle and Equinox. I was told “not our problem” and to focus my energies elsewhere. So I will. The annual membership dues and future high priced tickets to awards will be spent fighting what this administration is destroying, specifically equal rights and climate change. Yesterday, while Mrs. Ross was putting finishing touches on her Trump fundraiser, I was making sure my sobbing housekeeper had her entire family’s documents in order, a woman with 3 years citizenship living in fear. It is not enough to post rainbows on your Instagram feed. Do something. As a side note, the Fashion Fund is irrelevant unless it is entirely made up of sustainable designers. FALLON JEWELRY

A post shared by FALLON JEWELRY® (@fallonjewelry) on Aug 9, 2019 at 10:47am PDT

Who will be next? With New York Fashion Week set to start on September 5, all eyes will be on how the industry moves forward in light of this news.

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