Activewear Brand SUAVE Closes Following Backlash Over 'Gym Shaming' Video
The Australian company announced its closure three months after a video posted by the owner's wife sparked widespread criticism.
SUAVE, an online activewear brand founded in Perth in 2023, has announced its closure following significant online backlash. The decision comes three months after co-owner Chloe Wright shared a Snapchat video that many interpreted as "gym shaming."
The video, filmed through a window, showed a man using a rowing machine with the caption, "Turns out me and @emilyy have been doing the rower wrong all these years." The post was shared on the company's social media pages.
In response to the public outcry, Connor Wright, co-owner of SUAVE, issued an apology and acknowledged his mishandling of the situation. "I handled that situation f***ing terribly. I reacted really, really poorly, and I definitely agree that I could have done that better," he stated in a TikTok video. He further explained that the couple received death threats and faced significant personal and professional repercussions, including him losing his job as a FIFO worker. The ordeal also negatively impacted their health and relationship with the brand.
A post on SUAVE's Instagram account confirmed the impending closure. "Thank you to everyone who has supported SUAVE, whether you’ve been here from the beginning or found us somewhere along the way," the post read. "After a lot of thought, I’ve decided I’ll be closing SUAVE from later this year."
However, Connor Wright also indicated that the social media fallout was not the sole reason for the business's demise. He admitted that the brand had been struggling prior to the incident, citing an overreliance on TikTok for marketing, which was not reaching a sufficient audience. "I ended up putting way too many eggs into one basket. I’ve only focused on marketing Suave on TikTok, and it wasn’t reaching enough people," he said.
The news of the closure has elicited mixed reactions online. Some commenters pointed to the initial video, stating, "Probably shouldn’t have made fun of that person in the gym." Others expressed sympathy, noting the apparent stress on the owners and condemning the severity of the public reaction. "Amazing how a 20-30 second story on social media can change your life. I actually feel bad for you," one user commented.
In May, SUAVE had released a statement to news.com.au: "We sincerely apologise for the video that was shared. It was inappropriate, and we understand why people found it hurtful and disappointing."