Jennifer Lopez In The Hot Seat After Guess Founder’s Assault Scandal Surfaces

Jennifer Lopez debuted in the music industry with her debut studio album On the 6, which aided in the growth of the Latin pop movement in American music.
Jennifer’s new rom-com includes product placement for Guess, whose top executive is facing plenty of sexual-assault allegations. Jennifer is now in hot water because the victims are calling her out.

According to The Daily Beast, Guess is under renewed pressure this week to fire its embattled co-founder Paul Marciano, who has been accused of sexual assault or harassment by at least four women in the last year. His alleged victims are now blaming multi-hyphenate superstar Jennifer Lopez, a former Guess model herself, whose newest film features significant product placement for the Guess brand.

The release of the film, which includes a big endorsement of the Guess brand, has enraged Marciano’s accusers, including the ex-model who, as The Daily Beast reported last year, sued the mogul and his company for allegedly forcing her to perform oral s*x on him and then retaliating against her when she complained. In her lawsuit, the woman identified herself as Jane Doe. The Daily Beast confirmed her identity but does not generally identify alleged victims of s*eual misconduct without their consent.

“I don’t understand how J.Lo, a female herself, an icon, and role model to many could continue to support a company and its founder Paul Marciano even after all of our serious allegations have been brought to light and our lives have been ruined. Where is the female support?”

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In a statement, the Model Alliance, a leading advocacy group for professional models, expressed dissatisfaction with Lopez’s association with the Guess brand.

“The Model Alliance stands with survivors of Paul Marciano. Those who have a platform to speak out, and yet choose to turn a blind eye to this abuse, enable his predatory behavior. We need to demand real accountability in the fashion industry.”

In the last decade, at least six other women have accused the 70-year-old mogul of misconduct, including supermodel Kate Upton, who claims he forcibly groped her when she was 18 years old. Marciano resigned as Guess CEO in 2018 after the company paid $500,000 in settlements to five of his alleged victims, but he was quietly reinstated as chief creative officer less than a year later.

Another former Guess model, Gwen Van Meir, who claimed in April 2021 that Marciano sexually harassed her during her 11th campaign for the brand, deplored Lopez’s continued association with the troubled fashion house. “It’s sad” that Guess will be promoting Lopez’s new film, said Marciano’s latest accuser, “Jane Doe 3,” who accused the fashion exec of luring her to a hotel meeting in 2013 with the promise of future modeling gigs before sexually assaulting her there late last year.

“It’s disappointing that Marry Me is choosing to feature Guess… which has not removed [Marciano] despite so many models complaining about his behavior. I feel it’s important that women in the industry support each other and have the right to a safe working environment, free of harassment.”

“While models like Kate Upton and my many clients have spoken out about Paul Marciano and Guess, JLo has chosen to throw the weight of her brand behind the company. This is beneath JLo and what she stands for. Nevertheless, we will continue to fight our three current sexual harassment and sexual assault cases. It’s a long, hard road to justice but we are determined to get there.”

Another Marciano accuser, Eileen Toal, who last year detailed how the mogul allegedly forced her to perform oral sex on him in 1983 when she was dating his older brother, was less willing to give Hollywood the benefit of the doubt.

“All it takes is a simple Google search. It’s not a he said, she said; it’s a they said. I find it shocking that she would support this guy. It’s hard to believe she did not know. There’s publicists, attorneys, managers—someone would have known he is a predator. She’s putting other women at risk.”

“For someone like J.Lo, who represents women’s strength, this is a slap in the face.”

Jennifer Lopez must respond to all of the women who look up to her as their role model. To get the latest updates, keep an eye on Thirsty.

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