Michael Costello, dress designer to the stars, put himself in a sticky situation after allegedly calling a follower a "dumb n***er" on Instagram.
According to That Grape Juice, Costello got angry at the fan for accusing him of stealing ideas from on-the-rise designers, and used a racial epithet with his response.
The Project Runway alum also said that his ties to Beyonce are proof that he doesn't steal designs from anyone else, which caught the attention of the "Drunk In Love" singer's fans. The Beyhive came out in full force to petition the Destiny's Child singer to cut ties with Costello.
Costello's team released a statement about the matter, stating that a former intern created the fake caption in an effort to destroy the designer's image.
"It recently came to my attention that a falsified image was created depicting a comment from my account with the use of a racist and derogatory slur," he said. "The edited screenshot was shared via Instagram by a rogue account that has a history of attacking myself, loved ones and brands.
The hurtful screenshot circulating is fake and does not represent my views on society, nor do I condone the use of such a terrible term. It deeply saddens me that an individual would go to such lengths at an attempt to demean and misrepresent my character. My designs are centered on accentuating the inherent and natural beauty found in EVERY woman.
My career would not be where it is today without the support of individuals from all walks of life. We are currently looking into this urgent matter to identify the culprit. At this time, we have reason to believe the fake image was edited and circulated by a disgruntled intern who is no longer employed at Michael Costello."
Costello's team plans to investigate the incident and take legal action against the individual.
Source: ThatGrapeJuice/Twitter
