The Devil Wears Djerf (polyester) and is passionate about private toilets
If TikTok really does get shutdown in January for America, so many influencer brands will celebrate- it's much harder to cancel a brand that caters to a young audience on Instagram. Thanks algorithm.
Maybe we are all secretly wishing for brands to have a downfall at some point in their lifespan- it can make them better, improve external and internal business practices and teach humility. No brand is untouchable- and unfortunately for Djerf Avenue the Grinch has arrived early, just in time to steal their office’s holiday cheer. Last year it seemed that Djerf Avenue were squashing the inevitable dupes that appeared on the market of their fabric patterns, and now we know that their office environment is less than ideal.
Confused? Understandable. If you don’t use Instagram to follow influencers that have the perfect blowout or unattainable outfits, Matilda Djerf won’t mean anything to you. As she shouldn’t. But she has a beautiful blowout, loves an expensive designer bag and creates lovely photo dumps.
Swedish media company ‘Aftonbladet’ broke a story early December featuring 11 ex Djerf Avenue employees explaining their less than ideal time working under Matilda Djerf’s leadership. I feel heavily for these ex employees- They talk of the horrific scrutiny they experienced, the internal bullying, Matilda Djerf’s regular screaming sessions (which has subsequently caused long-lasting panic attacks), and many other injustices. Including a private toilet scandal.
If I see one more person online talking about how if Matilda Djerf was a man then her leadership wouldn’t even be an issue I’ll riot. In any workplace screaming at your employees is not acceptable. Being mean is not acceptable. Not reflecting your companies values is not acceptable. I hold both men and women to the same standards when it comes to leadership. If you are going home each day with much more income than I, you naturally have more responsibilities ergo stress- but that’s the nature of the job. If you can’t handle it, you don’t have to. Lets use our inside voices, give constructive criticism and not be a dick. And if that still seems unobtainable, let’s haul ass to therapy.
Coming from someone that has been in less than ideal office environments, it has to be really bad to take it to the media- let alone 11 people to take it to the media. It can feel frightening. Especially if the brand that you are talking about has millions of loyal buyers spread across the globe. And a fuck ton of money. It’s a massive risk to your professional career- you’ve lost a work reference, you might be considered a future liability and you’re going against a brand that is used to green washing it’s consumers. They have experience with manipulation. Plus you probably signed an NDA.
Now on to something that is genuinely laughable. At the end of the day we have to find some humour in this story- and that is Matilda Djerf’s passion for a private toilet. I also love a private toilet- my toilet in my flat is fun, and my office one is not. Stephanie McNeal of Glamour Magazine titled her own article “The Matilda Djerf toilet-scrubbing scandal, explained”. Your digital footprint really does last, and no amount of SEO manipulation the Djerf Avenue team does to boost their available ‘toiletry bag’ will scrub the internet. Matilda + toilet will last forever.
Online I’ve seen a range of responses. Some justify Matilda Djerf’s need for a private bathroom in the workplace that just some of her ‘fav’ workers get to use (the aliens are reading this so bloody confused), others think it’s pretentious. I don’t personally care that she has a passion for her own private bathroom at work. Perhaps she has bad IBS and feels a need for a vessel to be available to her at all times. I don’t agree however with just her favourite employees receiving the golden ticket to enter said private bathroom. I also hate to hear about the claims that the Aftonbladet article made about one employee that was instructed to completely scrub down said private bathroom after accidentally using it before Matilda was able to use it again. This is so mean? And feels like a scene from The Help… And one I have to believe true- toilet cleaning is not one you can embellish with such confidence.
Please enjoy this excerpt from ‘Djerf Avenue responds to the alarms from the staff’ published by Aftonbladet- a full response word for word from Matilda Djerf and Djerf Avenue.
Is it reasonable that Matilda Djerf has her own toilet that only she and selected employees are allowed to use?
Matilda has her own toilet, which is a measure we have introduced to help her stay healthy. This is especially important as many of our campaigns, shoots and other key activities depend on her participation. Our office makes it possible to offer this solution without affecting other employees' access to facilities.
We understand that this may raise questions and that it may be perceived as discriminatory. We are also aware that it has emerged that other people have used the toilet on occasion, which is clearly problematic and not in line with the existing policy. The toilet is only intended for Matilda and we will ensure that this is handled clearly and correctly going forward.
Will the note on the toilet remain after the criticism?
Yes, the note will remain. This is a measure we have put in place to ensure that Matilda stays healthy, as her health is crucial for her to be able to fulfil her responsibilities within campaigns, shoots and other projects that are central to the business. However, we have been clear internally that the toilet should only be used by Matilda. This solution is possible thanks to the facilities we currently have access to. Should the conditions change, we will of course reassess the situation.
This is the said private toilet sign in the Djerf Avenue office- lol. <3
I’m unsure if the English translation is completely true to what was written in Swedish, but it seems the Djerf Avenue representative is really drilling the point that this private bathroom keeps Matilda healthy- so my speculation of IBS may not be far off.
Private toilet aside, high staff turnover is what I always look for as the first telltale sign of an unhealthy company.
Please don’t enjoy another excerpt from ‘Djerf Avenue responds to the alarms from the staff’ published by Aftonbladet- a full response word for word from Matilda Djerf and Djerf Avenue.
Regarding the high staff turnover, you state that it is because the company is growing, but according to our sources, that is not the whole truth. According to our data, around 10 people will have quit this year during 2024 and the reason in many cases is the poor working environment. What do you say about that?
We are aware that staff turnover has been high for a certain period and that there are several different reasons for this. As a fast-growing company, we have had to ensure that we have the right skills in the right place to meet our goals and build a strong and sustainable organisation.
Of course, this does not excuse the fact that there are employees who have had negative experiences with us, and we take their experiences very seriously. We are deeply committed to creating a work environment where all employees feel safe, respected and appreciated, and we work actively to address the areas that need improvement.
Ok, strike two.
Djerf Avenue just hosted it’s first London pop-up. Had this news broken just 10 days earlier it might have been a different social media experience. Which micro-influencers would have attended? Have said micro-influencers even had enough office experience to understand how much poor leadership can affect ones mental health? Would the free cherries and photo opportunity with Matilda still have been enticing? Those that attended the London pop-up have said positive things about their experience with Matilda, which I truly believe. She might be really kind, or have really great media training- or she might just want to sell some product. My old boss was kind in social situations… congrats for holding it together in public?
Maybe Matilda is nice, maybe she isn’t. But I can guarantee this, anyone who is selling such expensive polyester is mean. It’s mean to the environment. It’s mean to the small brands that care about the materials they use. It’s mean to the customers that believe they are investing in clothing items that will last them many seasons. I applaud Djerf Avenue for using different sized models across their website and for taking a cracking Instagram photo but it’s not enough. People have been talking about Djerf Avenue’s polyester usage for YEARS, and in response they’ve done shit. They continue to release expensive clothing items that are polyester based with no regard for the environment. Unfortunately for Djerf Avenue their size inclusivity that is featured on their website is also under fire after claims that Matilda Djerf said a plus size model looked ‘so fucking fat’ and demanded they redo the photoshoot.
I hope that Djerf Avenue releases a proper apology- one that isn’t hidden in the comment section of their most recent post. I hope that the workers that are currently in the Djerf Avenue office are feeling safe, and are not currently being scrutinised by their very own Miranda Priestly. A character that is super fun to watch on screen, but one that you hope to never encounter in your professional career.
I hope Djerf Avenue recovers considering they employee junior workers that are trying to gain experience in the fashion world. I mean- I’m sure they will considering not everyone cares about internal office affairs. Enough people are still purchasing from Shein- case and point. Matilda is also close friends with Hailey Bieber, another celebrity brand that has faced it’s own fair share of criticism due to poor beauty formulations. I just hope moving forward Djerf Avenue actually improves, and that the mean behaviour gets left at the door. Or, at least stays in Matilda Djerf’s private toilet.
