Priyanka Chopra defends decision to wear dress by Harvey Weinstein's ex-wife

Priyanka Chopra has spoken out about her decision to wear a Marchesa dress to her bridal shower which took place at Tiffany’s Blue Box Cafe on Sunday night.

Marchesa, founded by Georgina Chapman, has suffered in light of allegations of sexual assault against Georgina’s ex-husband Harvey Weinstein.

Earlier this year, the label cancelled its New York Fashion Week show, which was due to take place on 14 February.

But Priyanka, 36 – who is engaged to Joe Jonas, 26, and is a close friend of Meghan Markle, 37 – is keen to support Georgina, whom she refers to as ‘a friend’ and a ‘self-made woman’.

In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily, she justified her decision to wear the strapless number that was designed by Marchesa – arguing Chapman was not at fault for her ex-husband’s behaviour.

She said: “Georgina’s a friend of mine, and she has been. And it’s not her fault.

“And I don’t think it’s right to take it out on a self-made woman what somebody in her life did.

“That’s the wrong attitude. I’ve known her for years, and that was a beautiful gown, and deserved to be worn by a bride-to-be. And it made me feel like a princess. It was the right choice.”

While Marchesa has enjoyed a strong celebrity following in the past, the designer’s gowns were noticeably absent from the red carpet after the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke in a New York Times article in October 2017.

Controversially, Jessica Chastain claimed in an interview with Wall Street Journal that Harvey bullied her into wearing a Marchesa gown at the premiere of her film ‘The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby’.

However, Priyanka has joined two more celebrities – Scarlett Johansson and Vanessa Hudgens – who have worn Marchesa in recent months.

With the case against Harvey Weinstein still ongoing, it is too early to tell whether Marchesa will survive in the wake of the scandal.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK.

Read more from Yahoo Style UK:

As Marchesa cancels its NYFW show, can the label survive the Harvey Weinstein scandal?

Marchesa on the red carpet: Celebrities wearing Georgina Chapman’s designs

Post-Weinstein, wearing this popular red carpet brand might be social suicide