The Violent Secret of the Couple Behind ‘the Dress That Broke the Internet’
Almost a decade after Keir Johnston found viral fame with “The Dress,” he’s back in the headlines once again. This time, however, it’s for truly disturbing reasons.
Last week, the 38-year-old pleaded guilty to endangering the life of his wife, Grace Johnston, during a violent assault at their home on a small island off the coast of Scotland. The court in Glasgow heard how Keir Johnston choked his wife and brandished a knife during the attack, which led to her telling an emergency services dispatcher: “My husband is trying to kill me.”
The Johnstons came to international attention in 2015 after Grace’s mother bought a dress for their wedding that sparked a giant online debate. When wedding guest Caitlin McNeill posted a photo of the dress on Tumblr, millions of people around the world—including the likes of Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift—became embroiled in a heated row about whether the garment was blue and black or white and gold.