Express recently debuted “The Publicist Fit,” a cut of jeans that the retailer describes as “fuller through the hip & thigh.” That description and the insinuation that publicists may be thicker than the norm isn’t sitting well with Hollywood reps.
Imprint PR co-founder Jeffrey Chassen blasted Express on Facebook. “Um, Express – please explain yourself,” he wrote on June 1 with the hashtags #publicist #offended. His comments section lit up with a mix of emotions, from shock to “hysterical,” the latter from veteran rep Lynda Dorf.
New York-based Amanda Ruisi, who reps 50 Cent, added, “This is so crazy right?” WBTV rep Holly Ollis wrote, “Clearly Express needs a publicist.” ID-PR’s Larissa Saenz typed, “So rude.” Kevin Mercuri, founder of Manhattan-based Propheta Communications, hashtagged it a #PRFail.
The Hollywood Reporter sent several emails to multiple reps for Express, but none returned requests for comment.
This story appears in the June 13 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
