Rosie O'Donnell took to the airways on Monday night to complain about her former apparel love, Eileen Fisher, who apparently poo-poo'ed Rosie's gushing over how the brand places an emphasis on plus-size clothing.
O'Donnell has long declared her love for Fisher's clothing. So when she found out that the designer was actually in the audience of a recent performance of the play she's been performing in, "Love, Loss, and What I Wore" (during which one of the actors actually declares, "When you start wearing Eileen Fisher, you might as well say I give up"), she say she leapt at the chance to gush about Fisher's impact on her life.
On her Sirius XM radio show, Rosie claimed she told Fisher about how much stress she'd felt over trying to find clothing that flattered her figure, saying: "On behalf of every plus-sized woman in the world, I just want to thank you." But then, Rosie claims, Fisher went on the defensive, saying that the store didn't actually sell plus sizes, and that overall an association with plus-size clothing was "just not the image that we're going for."
As Rosie put it, "It was like someone stabbed me in the heart." And in the ultimate "oh snap" move, she declared she'd be "wearing Donna Karan from now on."
While this is only Rosie's account, it's true that Fisher has been attempting to change the perception of her brand in the fashion community, offering lean-cut cardigans, biker jackets, and even leggings in her stores, as well as hiring younger-looking models. The New York Times even covered the brand's attempted renaissance less than a month ago, so it stands to reason that Fisher would be a bit defensive -- despite the line's long history of flowy tunics and roomy sweaters. On the other hand, everyone knows: Don't mess with Rosie O'Donnell.
