Matilda Djerf’s refreshing, minimalistic aesthetic has attracted a community of loyal followers over the years. Her sense of style and playful social media presence are the foundation of her successful fashion empire, Djerf Avenue; however, the company’s work culture does not reflect the cheery atmosphere Matilda portrays online. Employees of Djerf Avenue are breaking their silence about the exclusivity and degradation Matilda has normalized in the work environment of the beloved fashion brand.
Founded in 2019, Djerf Avenue became popular among Gen Z trendsetters. “Slow fashion” and inclusivity are the values the company is known for, which align with the priorities of many young consumers today; however, a Swedish news outlet, Aftonbladet, released a video that changed the perception of Djerf Avenue.
“Anställda larmar om ‘psykisk terror’ på Djerf Avenue” reveals the horrible circumstances that Djerf Avenue employees endure daily. In the introduction of the video, one of the employees said, “It’s the worst workplace I’ve ever been to in my life. I don’t wish anyone to work there.”
Throughout the video, the employees elaborate about Matilda bullying people, body shaming models and lining employees up to yell at them, along with the favoritism culture within the workplace.
“The company’s outward image is nothing like the reality of working here – it’s the complete opposite,” a former employee said during the interview.
This crisis among Djerf Avenue emerged in mid-December, and it led to Matilda making an Instagram post apologizing for her behavior. Still, many of her followers were skeptical of how genuine her apology really was.
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“You don’t need to hire any kind of team to simply be nice and empathetic. It’s just a natural humane thing to do,” said a user in the comment section.
When Djerf Avenue fans were made aware of the harsh working conditions, many of them revisited Matilda’s vlog, “Djerfmas,” which was posted on the Djerf Avenue YouTube channel one year prior to the controversy.
“Djerfmas” shows interactions between Matilda and her employees during the holidays, but many of the comments recognize the surface level relationship Matilda has with most of her employees and how visibly uncomfortable many of them are throughout the video.
All of Djerf Avenue’s YouTube videos have been deleted since the controversy surfaced, but some clips of “Djerfmas” can still be found on TikTok.
@gossssip.giirl Omg just go watch the Djerfmas video on YouTube and all the tea is out there… #matildadjerf #djerf #djerfavenue #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound – GossssipGirl✨
@imogenmeep #djerfavenue #matildadjerf ♬ original sound – missrealrelatable
Some social media users have even compared Matilda Djerf to Miranda Priestly, the ruthless editor and antagonist in the 2006 fashion comedy, “The Devil Wears Prada.” User-generated content saying “The Devil Wears Djerf Avenue” has emerged since the scandal, which is a more humorous response to the situation.
@demieffx the devil wears djerf avenue:) [cc: sat6rns] #matildadjerf #djerfavenue #thedevilwearsprada #mirandapriestly #merylstreep #matildadjerfedit #djerfavenueedit #thedevilwearspradaedit #mirandapriestlyedit #merylstreepedit #foryoupage #foryou #fyp #xyzbca ♬ original sound – alex
As many loyal customers continue to support Djerf Avenue during this controversial time, it counteracts with the normal “cancel culture” that Gen Z uses to hold brands and influencers accountable for their actions.
According to a 2022 study by Quantilope, 80% of Gen Zers said it’s important for brands to address diversity and inclusion. Djerf Avenue acknowledged diversity and inclusion but failed to be transparent and authentic about their actual brand identity.
“The Rise and Fall of Djerf Avenue by Matilda Djerf” is a YouTube video by a fashion and business analyzing channel “understitched,” and it goes into detail about Matilda Djerf’s brand crisis.
“They may be able to weather this,” the narrator of the video said. “As long as they can retain their core customers and don’t go into the red too much, they do have a chance at survival.”
Djerf Avenue has made a new reputation for itself since this scandal; however, Matilda Djerf has made it clear that she is progressing as a young entrepreneur and making changes to her leadership style so her business can flourish once again.
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