An online activewear brand has announced its closure after facing online backlash earlier this year.
SUAVE, owned by Connor Wright and his wife Chloe, began operations in Perth in 2023.
Back in May, the couple issued an apology after Mrs. Wright shared a personal Snapchat that many accused of “shaming” a man while he was using a rowing machine.
In the clip, the gymgoer was filmed through a window, with the caption: “Turns out me and @emilyy have been doing the rower wrong all these years.”
A post on the company’s social media pages on Wednesday night confirmed the closure of the business three months after the saga.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported SUAVE, whether you’ve been here from the beginning or found us somewhere along the way,” a post on Instagram read.
“After a lot of thought, I’ve decided I’ll be closing SUAVE from later this year.”
On TikTok, Wright went into further detail explaining the fallout of the backlash that went on behind the scenes.
“Stepping back and standing with you guys and seeing the outrage, we truly understand, and we apologise,” he explained in the clip.
“I handled that situation f***ing terribly. I reacted really, really poorly, and I definitely agree that I could have done that better.”
He agreed that “a line was crossed,” explaining the couple had copped death threats, including “people threatening to petrol bomb our home.”
Wright, who operated the apparel business as a side hustle, also revealed he’d been let go from his role as a FIFO worker.
The ordeal also led to a huge impact on the couple’s health, and it “created a bad relationship with the brand.”
The owner confirmed that the decision to close up shop wasn’t solely based on the social media fallout, revealing the brand had been struggling prior.
“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 admitted.
The news has been met with a mix of feedback from social media followers.
“Probably shouldn’t have made fun of that person in the gym,” one user wrote.
Another sympathised: “You look so exhausted and stressed. I’m sorry how awful and mean people can be. Honestly, good on you for posting this video; you still appear so positive.”
“Amazing how a 20-30 second story on social media can change your life. I actually feel bad for you,” a third added.
Suave Activewear told news.com.au back in May, after the post went viral, “We sincerely apologise for the video that was shared. It was inappropriate, and we understand why people found it hurtful and disappointing.”
News.com.au has contacted Suave for further comment.
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