There’s Trouble on Djerf Avenue … Again
Influencer, entrepreneur, and curtain-bang connoisseur Matilda Djerf has been accused of bullying, favoritism, and fat-shaming her employees, according to a bombshell report published in Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet on Thursday. Eleven current and former employees of Djerf Avenue, her multimillion-dollar fashion brand, spoke to the outlet about the company’s toxic work environment and anonymously shared their stories in an accompanying video.
One accuser claims Djerf reserved a certain toilet in the office for herself and her “favorite” employees. She allegedly put a sign on the door reading “Please do not use!” in English. When the sign fell down and one of her not-so-favorite employees used it by mistake, the report says she made an employee scrub the toilet as punishment.
The Scandi “It” girl reportedly swears at her employees and often makes them cry. “Every day, there’s a psychological terror in that office,” one person said. She’s also accused of being fat-phobic. In response to images of a plus-size model, Djef allegedly said: “We have to reshoot this, because she looks so fucking fat in these clothes. We can’t show that.” Interesting behavior, considering Djef Avenue has long prided itself on being inclusive.
Djerf responded to the allegations at length in statement to Aftonbladet, saying she takes them “very seriously” and wants to be clear that “a safe and respectful work environment” is important to her.
“If any staff member has felt mistreated or ill-equipped in their role due to my actions, that is something I am truly sorry for and apologize for. It was never my intention to contribute to a work environment that negatively affects anyone and I am sorry that there are employees who have had such experiences.”
She continued: “However, I do not recognize myself in all the claims that have been made and choose not to comment on individual cases. However, I think it is valuable that this is highlighted, as it gives both me and Djerf Avenue the opportunity to develop and become better.”
Djerf added that “I want to emphasize that I take my responsibility and see this as an opportunity to reflect, develop, and contribute to a better culture for all employees at Djerf Avenue. I will work actively with my leadership and, among other things, continue to receive support from a coach.”
But Djerf Avenue COO Pernilla Bonny confirmed that the company’s founder does, in fact, have her own toilet. In a statement to Aftonbladet, she described the policy as “a measure we have introduced to help [Djerf] stay healthy,” so the note will not be taken down. “Our office makes it possible to offer this solution without affecting other employees’ access to facilities,” she said. Still, Bonny acknowledged it’s “obviously not reasonable” that an employee had to clean this bathroom, telling the outlet, “We want to be clear that such a situation should never occur.”
Thursday’s damning report comes over one year after Djerf was called out for allegedly copyright-striking small creators’ accounts to have videos taken down. The backlash started when creators who posted dupes for Djerf Avenue pieces, such as a printed pajama set, started noticing their videos being flagged with trademark warnings. Social-media users slammed Djerf for thinking she invented a certain type of look: “clean-girl Scandinavian style,” as her fans describe it. “She acts like she owns the style even though it’s been a thing in Scandinavia,” one comment on TikTok read.
Djerf Avenue addressed the situation by posting a statement to its TikTok and Instagram Story: “Unfortunately, there has been a recent surge in websites selling products with our design and owned prints/artworks. In light of this, and to safeguard our prints and the individual print designers — we have an external intellectual property firm monitoring copyright infringements.” At the time, Djerf also said she was reaching out to creators and small businesses individually to handle the issue.
Djerf has not yet responded to the Cut’s request for comment.