Years and Years singer and actor Olly Alexander says he won’t be wearing Savage X Fenty clothing anymore. The brand is owned by the singer Rihanna.
Alexander’s decision comes after it emerged yesterday that Savage X Fenty would be using Johnny Depp as one of its models in its next catwalk presentation.
The Savage X Fenty shows stream online and attract huge audiences. The extravaganzas are known for their diverse casting. They often feature celebrities, as well as plus-size models and LGBTQ figures.
Related: Olly Alexander refuses to be anything other than his authentic queer self
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Depp’s participation was confirmed yesterday by his representatives to The Guardian.
Depp will appear alongside Cara Delevingne, actors Taraji P Henson, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Winston Duke, and musical performers such as Burna Boy.
Alexander, who starred in the AIDS drama, It’s A Sin, tweeted a link to a story about Depp featuring in the Savage X Fenty show. He accompanied it with a downward smile emoji.
Earlier this year, Alexander posed in Savage X Fenty underwear and a harness as part of a promotional campaign.
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A follower responded to Alexander’s tweet yesterday saying: “But, “Savage X Fenty” is you baby……. you wear it so well 😥😥😥”
Alexander responded to the fan, saying, “thank you but after this news i won’t be wearing it anymore.”
thank you but after this news i won’t be wearing it anymore https://t.co/MvW5LuHTow
— olly alexander (@alexander_olly) November 3, 2022
His tweet has had over 22k likes. It also elicited a very divided response. Both Depp and his ex-wife, Amber Heard, have very large, vocal followings.
Depp has been embroiled in legal disputes with Heard. She has made allegations of domestic abuse toward him. In March 2021, Depp sued British tabloid The Sun after it called him a “wife beater”. He lost the case.
However, he won a similar defamation hearing in a US court earlier this year. That court ruled Heard was unable to prove allegations of domestic violence. It ordered her to pay him $15million in damages.
Related: BBC received 179 complaints this Olly Alexander performance was “too sexy”
Rihanna’s decision to cast Johnny Depp divides opinion
Rihanna’s decision to include Depp in her show has prompted a similarly mixed response. Depp fans point to the fact he won his defamation case in the US. Others have pointed out that Rihanna has experienced her own domestic abuse issues. In 2009, she was the victim of a violent attack by her then-boyfriend, singer Chris Brown.
The below tweets illustrate some of the mixed reactions to the news.
Oh rihanna…I hope this is not true bcz that’s actually so fcking insane and disgusting
— Nicolas is in renaissance (@niggaolas) November 3, 2022
I don’t think Rihanna cares about backlash but I hope it’s strong enough that her team will be like.. woah maybe this isn’t a good idea
— mary (@babyonaplane) November 3, 2022
Reminder to the people in the comments: Rihanna survived violent abuse herself and victims tend to recognize other victims https://t.co/cR8boF3NJS
— Izze 🦁🐻 (@Izze1122) November 3, 2022
i am sorry but did rihanna think the girls and gays were going to gag over this?… https://t.co/DM6SxJXvJt
— chu (@chuuzus) November 3, 2022
The fourth Savage X Fenty show will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on November 9.
Godabed
it’s her company she can do what she wants. And her models can do what they want. Being a drug counselor I can tell you addict perform insane behaviors all the time. Amber and Johnny both have serious problem that’s none of our business.
cc423
And consumers can do what they want… like avoiding gross stunts like this.
bachy
How is it a good idea to hire a booze and pills-addled 60 y/o to parade his wreckage down the runway in sexy underwear?
Thad
Very recently Queerty featured KJ Apa in a cute sexy ad for Lacoste underwear. That’s a far better endorsement.