When news of Harvey Weinstein’s horrific crimes against women first broke in 2017, his British wife Georgina Chapman didn’t go out in public for five months and cancelled the runway show for her fashion label Marchesa.
Common wisdom was that no celebrity would ever wear the brand again, especially after it emerged that actresses including Sienna Miller and Felicity Huffman were pressured into wearing the label, which was propped up by former movie mogul Weinstein’s own investment.
It’s all the more remarkable, then, to now see Chapman re-established as one of the queens of the award season red carpet – and not only because celebrities are wearing her gowns again.
The British-both mother-of-two has been a regular fixture as the proud partner of Adrien Brody, who last night took home the BAFTA for Best Actor for his role in The Brutalist – and is hotly tipped to win the Oscar for the same role.
He even thanked Georgina when he won his Golden Globe in January, hinting at her difficulties when he paid tribute to her ‘own resilience’.
Georgina found herself retreating from the spotlight in a bid to give Weinstein’s victims the ‘dignity and respect’ they deserved, and described the quiet months that followed her ex-husband’s downfall as a time for ‘mourning’.
Slowly, she has been rebuilding her life, having moved on with her new partner Adrien Brody (pictured at the Baftas) – who is now tipped for Oscars glory
Georgina Chapman’s designs for Marchesa once flooded red carpets, but all that came crashing down when her ex-husband Harvey Weinstein was convicted of rape and sexual assault
In 2020, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years behind bars for third-degree rape and criminal sexual assault for incidents involving two women.
While Georgina herself has, of course, done nothing wrong, it would have surprised nobody if she quietly faded into the background due to the pressure of public attention proving too much.
However, she’s been gradually making it back on to the social scene in recent years, and has been pictured at high-profile gatherings with celebrities such as David Beckham, Helena Christensen and Stella McCartney.
And with Adrien’s star status rising again after some years in the wilderness, she finds herself once again part of a Hollywood power couple in a turn of events that seemed so unlikely a mere seven years ago.
Georgina’s beginnings
Georgina Rose Chapman was born on April 14, 1976 in London, and grew up in the leafy town of Richmond. Her father founded the coffee firm Percol and her mother worked for Reader’s Digest. Her younger brother, Edward, is currently the CEO of Marchesa.
Adrien Brody, David Beckham and Georgina Chapman at the Whitby Hotel in New York in May 2024
With model Helena Christensen at the launch for Stærk & Christensen’s resort line in 2019
With fellow Brit Stella McCartney at the designer’s Met Gala after party in May 2024
She was born with a hip defect and had dyslexia that was undiagnosed until the age of eight, which led to ‘terrible anxiety’ in class.
In her teens, Georgina modelled to pay the bills and harboured ambitions of becoming an actress.
She graduated from the Wimbledon School of Art in 2001 and started off designing costumes for theatre and film.
When she was 18 she took a train to Hull to visit the drama studies department of a college, but the train broke down. While she waited, she got talking to the then unknown young actor, David Oyelowo. They became lifelong friends and she stayed with him and his family after the scandal surrounding her ex-husband broke.
Georgina met Keren Craig when they were both 17, at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, and in 2004 started their own label, Marchesa.
2004 – Relationship with Weinstein
At around the same time she began Marchesa, Georgina started dating Weinstein after meeting him at a party.
For the 2004 premiere of the Miramax [Weinstein’s old company] film Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Renee Zellweger wore an outfit from the label.
The speed with which Marchesa became a success raised some eyebrows. In 2006, the Los Angeles Times published an article titled ‘The Harvey Factor?’ which observed: ‘Competitors complain that Marchesa dresses are worn on the red carpet because the stars – and their agents, managers and lawyers – need to please the powerful Weinstein. Say the word “Marchesa” and publicists groan.’
The New York Times reported that he made ‘timely contributions in amounts the company would not disclose’.
Cate Blanchett wore a Marchesa mini to the Rome premiere of The Aviator in 2005, while Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Diane Kruger also graced the red carpet in its gowns. The label was named Red Carpet Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2007.
Weinstein married Georgina at his waterfront Connecticut estate in December 2007 before an A-list crowd that included Jennifer Lopez and her husband Marc Anthony, Cameron Diaz, Renee Zellweger and Naomi Watts.
According to People magazine, the pair exchanged vows in an intimate winter ceremony under the stars, and topped it off with a grand fireworks display.
‘Harvey looked the happiest he’s ever looked,’ said a source. ‘Georgina was absolutely glowing.’
Guests watched from huge tents decorated with crystal chandeliers and fir trees as fireworks exploded off a barge in nearby Long Island Sound.
The crowd broke into cheers after the 10-minute spectacle, which was followed by music from a live band, and the party continued until 1am.
The guest list for the glamorous wedding included media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Quentin Tarantino, Vogue’s Anna Wintour, and models Karolina Kurkova and Helena Christensen.
Georgina met Keren Craig when they were both 17, at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, and in 2004 they started their own label, Marchesa (pictured in 2006)
At around the same time she began Marchesa, Georgina started dating Harvey Weinstein after meeting him at a party. They married in 2007 (pictured in 2016)
2017 – Harvey Weinstein allegations come to light
In October 2017, the New York Times and The New Yorker published a series of allegations against Weinstein, including three accusations of rape.
Among the women who made accusations were actresses Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd. He then became the face of the #MeToo movement after dozens of women came forward alleging sexual abuse.
In the days afterwards, Georgina announces her decision to leave him.
‘My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions,’ she said.
‘I have chosen to leave my husband. Caring for my young children is my first priority.’
At the time, Weinstein said he supported her decision but added he hoped they could ‘rebuild’ their relationship.
‘I am in counselling and perhaps, when I am better, we can rebuild,’ he said.
‘I understand, I love her and I love our children and hopefully, when I am better, I will be in their lives again.’
In January 2018, it was reported that she and the producer had reached a divorce settlement that would see her get up to $20 million as well primary custody of their children.
Those children are now 13 and 11. Their three older half-siblings – all girls – from Harvey’s first marriage, are thought to choose not to see him, but the two youngsters do.
They have visited their father in Wende prison and the prison ward of Bellevue hospital, both in New York, where he has previously been held. They also have Zoom calls with him.
He has been hospitalised at various points during his sentence, which he is currently serving at Rikers Island in New York, due to his poor health: he uses a wheelchair, is going blind, and has diabetes, arthritis, spinal stenosis, anaemia, sleep apnoea, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.
A source close to Weinstein said: ‘He sees his two children by Georgina; they talk to him on the phone, too. He has maintained a good relationship with them. Being close to them means the world to him. There’s no acrimony with Georgina. He’s happy for her and hopes that continues to be the case.
‘They have a cordial relationship. They talk about things that are necessary for the children and that’s about it.’
Although Georgina was quick to divorce Weinstein soon after the allegations of sexual misconduct against him emerged, support for her fashion brand among its female customer base initially began to waver.
Fashion fans called for celebrities to boycott the label and claimed the designer must have been aware of her then husband’s alleged treatment of women.
The calls only got louder when it came to light that, according to industry insiders, Weinstein pressured stars to wear Marchesa gowns on the red carpet to promote his wife’s business.
Harvey himself admitted pushing the label to Renee Zellweger, who was one of the world’s biggest movie stars at the time, before she wore a Marchesa dress to the Bridget Jones premiere.
In October 2017 the New York Times and The New Yorker published a series of allegations against Harvey Weinstein, including three accusations of rape (pictured earlier that year with his then wife Georgina Chapman)
Fashion insiders at the time said the separation may not be enough to salvage the brand’s reputation.
Wedding stylist Diane Lloyd Roth said: ‘I tell my brides to bring [pages] from magazines, and [Marchesa is] always included. [Some clients] were going to go look at Marchesa … and now they’re getting cold feet,’ she said.
‘They don’t want the association. The first question when someone’s getting married is “Who are you wearing?”‘
A leading Hollywood publicist anonymously told The Daily Beast: ‘This is a f***ing tsunami right now. I don’t think it is the end of it. I don’t think we’ve seen all the collateral damage play out for all kinds of players.
‘There is a sense of real relief that it has come out, but also a sense that there are more things that will come to light. It’s really affecting every part of the business.’
‘Despite Georgina Chapman quickly distancing herself from Weinstein, there is an unsavory association between the brand and Weinstein, and likely many PR-savvy celebrities and wearers of her brands will want to steer clear of this, for the short-term at least,’ Elizabeth Shobert, director of marketing at StyleSage told The Daily Beast.
One publicist told the Hollywood Reporter: ‘No star is ever going to want to wear the brand again.’
In the aftermath, the label was forced to postpone its Spring Summer Preview, brand collaborations were halted, and not a single A-list star chose to wear a Marchesa design at the Golden Globes for the first time in years.
Georgina retreated from the spotlight for five months, believing it wasn’t ‘respectful’ to go to pubic event and cancelled an upcoming runway show for Marchesa.
When asked by Vogue in May 2018 if she was ever suspicious about her husband’s behaviour, she replied: ‘Absolutely not, never.’
She added: ‘There was a part of me that was terribly naive – clearly, so naive. I have moments of rage, I have moments of confusion, I have moments of disbelief.’
Georgina did not offer clothes out for that year’s awards season because she didn’t feel it was ‘appropriate.’
‘All the women who have been hurt deserve dignity and respect, so I want to give it the time it deserves. It’s a time for mourning, really,’ she explained.
However, there had been a small enclave of die-hard supporters of the brand and among them was Scarlett Johansson who stepped onto the 2018 Met Gala red carpet in Marchesa.
She issued a statement that read: ‘I wore Marchesa because their clothes make women feel confident and beautiful, and it is my pleasure to support a brand created by two incredibly talented and important female designers.’
Anna Wintour also rallied round Georgina and her brand, telling Stephen Colbert’s Late Show in 2018: ‘Georgina is a brilliant designer and I don’t think she should be blamed for her husband’s behavior.
‘I think it was a great gesture of support on Scarlett’s part to wear a dress like that—a beautiful dress like that—on such a public occasion.’
Georgina first became romantically linked with Adrien Brody in 2019, marking her first relationship since her 2017 split from disgraced film producer Harvey (pictured last week)
![The relationship took off quietly, only publicly emerging in early 2020. A source said: 'She finds [him] to be an interesting person with a deep passion for his work that is similar to hers' (pictured in 2021)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/02/17/12/95292959-14405189-image-a-35_1739794202773.jpg)
The relationship took off quietly, only publicly emerging in early 2020. A source said: ‘She finds [him] to be an interesting person with a deep passion for his work that is similar to hers’ (pictured in 2021)
2019 – Relationship with Adrien Brody
Georgina first became romantically linked with Adrien Brody in 2019, marking her first relationship since her 2017 split from disgraced film producer Harvey.
She and the actor – an arty New Yorker who was single after splitting with model Lara Lieto – were invited to the launch of Helena Christensen’s swimwear line in Puerto Rico in April 2019.
The relationship took off quietly, only publicly emerging in early 2020. A source said: ‘She thinks he’s unusual. She finds [him] to be an interesting person with a deep passion for his work that is similar to hers.’
The following year saw their first red carpet appearance together. The months passed, love seemingly deepened and in 2022 they both went to the Vanity Fair Oscars party in March and the Met Gala in May.
By the time the pair were seen at the Venice film festival in September 2022, he had moved into Chapman’s farmhouse in upstate New York.
They live there with her mother, her two children she shares with Harvey, and a menagerie of pets including ponies, dogs, cats and chickens.
Adrien was catapulted to international fame with his Oscar-winning performance in The Pianist (2002), where he portrayed the Polish-Jewish pianist Władysław Szpilman, earning critical acclaim and a Best Actor Academy Award.
Following his breakout role, he continued to build an eclectic career, starring in films like King Kong (2005), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), and Predators (2010)
However, Adrien’s rise to the top has also been scuppered by a series of avoidable controversies.
In March 2003, the up-and-coming actor – who had been trying to get his big break since he was 15 – planted an expected kiss on Halle Berry as he accepted his Oscar, a move which baffled audiences and the actress has criticised him for.
However, Adrien’s rise to the top has also been scuppered by a series of avoidable controversies. In March 2003, he planted an unexpected kiss on Halle Berry as he accepted his Oscar – which baffled audiences and the actress has criticised him for
Just months later, the rising star was invited to host SNL where he wore a dreadlock wig and put on a Jamaican accent to introduce the musical guest of the night Sean Paul (pictured)
Months later, Adrien found himself in hot water again when he wore a dreadlock wig and put on a Jamaican accent to introduce Sean Paul on Saturday Night Live. He recently joked that he was never invited back.
Later that year, he attended P Diddy’s private MTV Movie Awards after-party and has been pictured several times with the rapper, who is facing life in prison if he is found guilty of a racketeering charge.
However, the actor’s somewhat tainted public image may be about to change for the better again – as his film The Brutalist, which earned him a Golden Globe earlier this month, is being tipped for yet more Oscar nods.
And if it weren’t for his partner, he admits he would never have returned to the spotlight.
Georgina persuaded him he wasn’t doing what he loved and so slowly he started saying yes to parts rather than throwing the scripts in the bin.
And it paid off for both of them when the Blonde star accepted a Golden Globe for his latest film The Brutalist, he gave his thanks to Georgina, saying: ‘To my beautiful and amazing partner Georgina.
‘Your generosity of spirit, your own resilience, your immense creativity, are a daily reminder of how to be. I would not be standing here before you if it wasn’t for you.
‘There was a time not too long ago that I felt this may never be a moment afforded to me again, so thank you.’
In an interview with Vogue this week Adrien talked about having an art studio to paint in at their farmhouse. And Georgina told the magazine: ‘If he’s in the midst of inhabiting a role, he’s up in the office, reading, covered in cats.’
She adds that acting ‘exhausts him, because he gives so much. He’s very sensitive, he has a thin veil emotionally with the world.’
Meanwhile, by 2023 Marchesa was once again gaining momentum with Amy Forsyth (pictured), and Chelsea Handler having stepped out in dresses by the brand
Chelsea, who sported an off-the-shoulder Marchesa dress at the Grammys in 2022 (L), continued her affinity with the label at the Critics Choice Awards in 2023 (R)
2023 – Marchesa’s return to the red carpet
By 2023 Marchesa was once again gaining momentum with Amy Forsyth, Chelsea Handler, Paige Butcher, Naz Perez, Autumn Rowe and Christina Jackson having stepped out in dresses by the brand over the previous 12 months.
The popularity of Chapman’s New York-based label, first founded with school friend Keren Craig in 2004, seems to have bounced back despite having been funded by Harvey.
Chelsea, who sported an off-the-shoulder Marchesa dress at the Grammys in 2022, continued her affinity with the label at the Critics Choice Awards in 2023.
Playing host for the evening, the actress and comedian slipped into a number of outfits for the occasion, but her second look of the night was a fuchsia Marchesa gown.
But she was not the only one at the event to do so, with actress Laura Prepon also opting for an outfit from the beleaguered designer.
The business is going strong and today, without his funding, and its annual revenue is estimated at $38.5 million, with Georgina’s brother, Edward, chief executive.