Beyoncé cuts ties with Topshop amid co-founder’s harassment and racial abuse allegations

Beyoncé purchased full ownership of her athleisure brand Ivy Park from Topshop, cutting ties with the company and its co-founder, Philip Green, as he faces claims of sexual harassment and racial abuse.

Beyoncé and Green first announced in 2014 that they were teaming up to design an athletic streetwear brand and the first Ivy Park range went on sale at Topshop two years later.

“After discussions of almost a year, Parkwood has acquired 100% of the Ivy Park brand. Topshop/Arcadia will fulfil the existing orders,” Ivy Park said in a statement.

Activist groups have been pressuring Beyoncé to cut ties with the company since allegations of misconduct surfaced last month. Current and former employees have accused Green of both racial and sexual harassment, though he’s dismissed the claims as “banter” with no “intent to be offensive.” The Guardian reports several of these employees were given secret settlements.

“Beyoncé has put herself forward as a women’s rights activist. She and her team need to look closely at these allegations,” said Yasmeen Hassan, a member of the Equality Now campaign.

Jane Shepherdson, the former brand director at Topshop, has described him as a “bully”. She alleged that his behaviour in the workplace was “worse than most” and that bullying still took place in the company. A spokesperson for Green and Arcadia declined to comment on Shepherdson’s allegations at the time.

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