In a surprising turn of events, Bobby Brown and Meghan Markle have experienced a significant falling out following a heated argument over the recent decline in sales of Brown's cosmetics line.
Bobby Brown, the renowned makeup artist and businesswoman, has distanced herself from Meghan Markle after facing major public backlash. The controversy erupted when a photo of Brown and Markle together at the G9 Venture Summer Summit circulated online, leading to widespread boycotts of Brown's brand.
Meghan Markle attended the business summit in the Hamptons, reportedly seeking advice for her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. The summit, hosted by influential power broker Amy Griffin, saw Meghan photographed with longtime friends, including makeup artist Bobby Brown and designer Misha Nonoo. An image shared from the event showed Meghan smiling as she posed with Bobby Brown and Misha Nonoo. However, the photo's circulation triggered a flood of negative reactions, prompting Brown to restrict comments on her social media posts within 24 hours. The backlash highlights Meghan's polarizing presence, with royal fans calling for a boycott of Bobby's brand due to her association with Meghan.
One royal fan commented, "I wonder if Bobby Brown knew the extent of Meghan Markle's polarizing effect before she posted. PR companies surely have to be aware of this impact by now and are advising their clients to avoid posting Meghan Markle content. Before this post, I followed Bobby's brand for years and purchased her products. After this post, I unfollowed and will not support Estée Lauder's Bobby Brown line or Jones Road anymore. There's no room for hate in my wallet, and Meghan Markle's brand promotes values that do not align with my own—polarization, faux charity, lack of humility, and betrayal of family and friends for money and influence."
Another added, "I definitely thought less of Bobby Brown for associating with Meghan Markle. It made me think Bobby's brand is on the decline, willing to risk associating their own brand with Meghan's well-known toxic brand by posing for photos. It appears desperate. Brands are all about appearances. Do I want Bobby Brown cosmetics with a desperate side of Meghan Markle influence? No."
Bobby Brown, who founded her eponymous cosmetics brand in 1991 and sold it to Estée Lauder in 1995, worked for the company until 2016 before leaving to establish Jones Road in 2020. Known for bridging the gap between makeup and skincare, Jones Road has faced challenges amid the recent controversy. Bobby Brown and Meghan Markle's professional relationship dates back to 2016 when they collaborated on a photo shoot for the cover of a magazine.
They created a video in which Brown showed Markle how to apply makeup in a moving Uber. In 2018, Brown shared a post on Instagram in honor of Meghan's 39th birthday, recounting an anecdote about the first time Meghan mentioned Prince Harry, referring to him as a fellow she was dating from the UK during the early days of her relationship with Harry. She also partnered with Bobby Brown for the Bobby Brown X Uber Retouch campaign.
Despite their past collaborations, the recent fallout has left a significant mark on their relationship and the beauty industry as a whole. The controversy surrounding their association underscores the challenges that public figures and brands face in navigating the complex landscape of public opinion and social media.
