The Vivienne Westwood fashion house is facing mounting scrutiny after an independent investigation upheld allegations of homophobic bullying against its chief executive, Carlo D’Amario.
The claims, which were examined by an employment barrister in June 2023, included accusations that D’Amario repeatedly used homophobic slurs, bullied staff, and discriminated against employees based on their sexuality.
Despite these findings, D’Amario remains in his role, while the complainant who raised the grievance has since left the company.
The allegations have raised serious questions about whether the values championed by the late Dame Vivienne Westwood—a pioneer of LGBT+ rights and gender expression in fashion—have truly endured within her company. While the brand has continued to publicly embrace queer culture, including a recent collaboration with non-binary singer Sam Smith, the revelations suggest a disconnect between the company’s external image and its internal leadership culture.
The allegations against D’Amario surfaced in 2023, when a gay employee raised an internal grievance about his conduct. The company brought in employment law specialist Paul Livingston to conduct an independent investigation, during which eight witnesses were interviewed.
The report upheld five of the allegations, concluding that D’Amario had likely breached employment law. Witnesses reported that he had frequently used homophobic nicknames for the employee, including “Mary Poppins,” “Mary Fairy,” and “Homo Pomo.” One staff member said they had regularly heard D’Amario use the term “homo pomo” and had considered it offensive at the time.
Concerns about D’Amario’s behaviour extended beyond verbal insults. Witnesses recalled him criticising store displays for looking “too gay”, a comment that left some employees “horrified.” When questioned during the investigation, D’Amario denied all allegations, insisting that sexuality was “the last thing in [his] brain” and suggesting that any misunderstandings might be due to language barriers. However, the investigator found his denials “not persuasive.”
The claims against D’Amario did not stop at homophobic remarks. Witnesses also alleged that he had made disparaging comments about gay employees, at one point saying, “All these gay men in the company … you can’t trust them.” Another witness recalled him using the phrase “gay parade” to describe employees who were well-dressed.
Allegations of racist comments also surfaced, including one instance where he reportedly told a staff member, “I’m not racist, but all your clients are members of the mafia.” D’Amario denied making the mafia comment during the investigation.
Concerns about his leadership were first publicly raised in November 2023, when Cora Corré, Westwood’s granddaughter, resigned from the company. In her resignation letter, she accused D’Amario of misusing Westwood’s designs, blocking charitable fundraising by the Vivienne Foundation, and “bullying” Westwood before her death in 2022.
She also claimed that her grandmother had been deeply unhappy with his management and had wanted him removed from the company. The fashion house did not respond to these allegations at the time.
The controversy has cast a shadow over Vivienne Westwood Ltd’s reputation, particularly given its long-standing support for progressive values. While the brand has been vocal about climate activism, human rights, and queer inclusivity, the investigation suggests that its internal culture may not align with these ideals.
The report found that D’Amario’s behaviour breached the company’s equality policy and that executives, including D’Amario and Westwood herself, had failed to complete mandatory diversity training. Despite these findings, the company has taken no public disciplinary action, and financial records show that D’Amario earned nearly £500,000 in 2023.
Vivienne Westwood Ltd has repeatedly declined to comment on the investigation’s findings or confirm whether any action was taken against D’Amario.
With increasing scrutiny on workplace culture and leadership accountability in the fashion industry, the brand now faces a crucial decision: whether to stand by its CEO or uphold the values that made Vivienne Westwood a global icon of rebellion, inclusivity, and justice.
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Vivienne Westwood fashion house under scrutiny over homophobic bullying allegations against CEO
