Influencer's brand faces backlash over bullying claims

Swedish clothing brand Djerf Avenue is facing a backlash from fans following claims of bullying and body-shaming against its founder Matilda Djerf.

An investigation by Swedish news outlet Aftonbladet reported that 11 current and former employees described being belittled, called names and yelled at in the workplace.

Ms Djerf, 27, told the BBC she was "deeply sorry" to anyone who has felt mistreated under her leadership.

But customers like 22-year-old Sumi Mrkulic have vowed to "never purchase anything or voice support again".

Sumi, from London, said she was particularly concerned after Aftonbladet reported that some models were told they didn't fill out a pair of jeans, while others were called fat.

Djerf Avenue's website promotes a world "filled with kindness, inspiration, and respect," and the brand is known for its size inclusivity and diverse model representation.

Sumi told the BBC: "It renders all of their efforts to be inclusive completely performative. I actually find it really spineless."

Influencer Matilda Djerf launched the brand in 2019 and it quickly became popular with young women. It says it made around $35m (£27.5m) in revenue last year.

It recently held its first 10-day pop-up shop in London, which saw queues forming up to three hours before the store opened.

Giulia Carrozzo, 20, from Germany, received an order from Djerf Avenue the day before the allegations emerged. She said she would be sending it back in light of the report.

"Djerf Avenue has always marketed itself as a body-positive, inclusive and empowering brand, so hearing allegations of body-shaming and a toxic work environment felt like a complete betrayal of the values they claim to uphold," she said.

"I knew immediately that this wasn't something I could support."

Matilda Djerf, who started her online career in 2016, was recognised for her work within retail and e-commerce on the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2023.

Giulia said: "To me, supporting a brand led by a woman felt like celebrating progress and uplifting women in business. However, these allegations... directly contradict those values.

"I can't justify supporting a brand that doesn't practise the values it promotes. Until there's real accountability and change, I won't be purchasing from them."

Matilda Djerf said in a statement: "If any team member has felt mistreated in their role because of my actions, I am deeply sorry, and I want to sincerely apologize.

"I don't recognize myself in all the claims that have been made, and I've chosen not to comment on individual cases. However, I do believe it's valuable that these concerns are being raised, as it gives both me and Djerf Avenue the opportunity to grow and improve.

"I want to emphasize that I take full responsibility and see this as a chance to reflect, grow, and contribute to a better culture for everyone at Djerf Avenue."

Djerf Avenue's chief operating officer, Pernilla Bonny, said the company acknowledged the challenges in its workplace environment and had taken steps to address them.

These actions include conducting monthly anonymous employee surveys, implementing an independent whistleblower function, strengthening the management team and carrying out an independent workplace assessment with an external psychologist.