Beyonce has cut business ties with Sir Philip Green by buying back his share in their clothing venture, it was revealed last night.
The US singer launched fashion sportswear brand Ivy Park with the disgraced Topshop tycoon in 2016.
But she has faced calls to pull out of the multimillion-pound collaboration after Green was accused of bullying and sexual harassment.
Beyoncé has axed her partnership with Sir Philip Green (pictured together in 2014) after accusations of bullying and sexual harassment emerged against the Topshop tycoon
Beyonce debuted her Ivy Park active-wear range for Sir Philip’s store Topshop in 2016 and they first met in 2003 (pict
Ivy Park is sold worldwide in Topshop stores and its website but the singer has reportedly bought the brand back
The 66-year-old was named in the Lords last month as the businessman at the centre of a row over allegations of inappropriate conduct and non-disclosure agreements.
Beyoncé and Sir Philip Green at Grand Central Terminal in New York City, 2014, at the start of their business arrangement
The billionaire, who owns the Arcadia Group, vigorously denies the allegations of unlawful sexual or racist behaviour, saying any remarks had been ‘banter’.
Beyonce’s Parkwood company has bought Green’s share of Ivy Park for an undisclosed sum. Talks about the deal pre-dated the recent furore, parties insisted last night.
An Ivy Park spokesman said in a statement: ‘After discussions of almost a year, Parkwood has acquired 100 per cent of the Ivy Park brand. Topshop/Arcadia will fulfill the existing orders.’ It follows news that music mogul Simon Cowell has severed his links with Green.
When it was announced in 2014 that Beyonce was teaming up with Green to produce Ivy Park – named after Blue Ivy, her six-year-old daughter with husband Jay-Z – she said: ‘I have always loved Topshop for their fashion credentials and forward thinking.’
That year Green was pictured with his arm around her at the opening of Topshop’s New York store. But their friendship dated from far earlier – she sang at his son Brandon’s bar mitzvah in 2005.
Ivy Park was previewed at Topshop’s Oxford Street store in April 2016. At the time, Beyonce, who is estimated to be worth £258million said: ‘My goal with Ivy Park is to push the boundaries of athletic wear.’
Ivy Park items were still being advertised on Topshop’s website yesterday, including a £42 sweatshirt, a £149 bomber jacket, £139 joggers and a £20 sleeveless tank top. It is understood they will remain available in-store. The range is also sold via Selfridges, Asos, JD Sports and Voisins.
But the star is now the latest in a line of high profile people to cut ties with him.
Earlier this week Cowell confirmed he has ‘severed ties’ with Sir Philip in an effort to purge ‘toxic’ people from his company.
Beyonce’s Ivy Park collection went on sale in 2014, pictured on launch day in Oxford Street
The 59-year-old music mogul says he has finally ousted Sir Philip from Syco Entertainment following a falling-out three years ago.
Sir Philip – who is facing allegations of workplace sexual harassment and bullying – was once so close to Simon that they holidayed together and he bought a five per cent stake in the X-Factor judge’s company, now valued at £12.5million.
But Mr Cowell claims he stopped talking regularly with Sir Philip three years ago and initially made an offer to buy the Topshop billionaire out 18 months ago.
Cowell said of Sir Philip’s battle against harassment claims ‘I don’t know what this is leading to, not with me but with him’.
However he did not elaborate on the nature of his falling out with Sir Philip, saying only that Sir Philip was bought out of the company on a matter of ‘principle’.
A source said last month: ‘Philip is a toxic figure and the last person anyone would want involved in an entertainment company’.
Billionaire Sir Philip had counted some of the world’s most beautiful women among his closest companions.
Supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell were often spotted at his lavish parties, with Moss one of the first celebrities to launch their own brand at Topshop.
As well as being one of Britain’s most successful businessmen, Sir Philip Green also has some of the most beautiful women in the world among his closest companions. The retail mogul is pictured with models Suki Waterhouse (left), Kate Moss, (centre), Cara Delevingne (third right), Sienna Miller (second right) and Naomi Campbell (far right)
Supermodel Kate Moss (pictured with Sir Philip) is frequently spotted with the retail mogul on his multi million pound mega yacht and beside him on the front row of fashion show catwalks
Moss’s close friend and fellow glamour model Naomi Campbell is also a regular at Sir Philip’s lavish birthday parties (the pair are pictured together at a Topshop reception dinner in London in 2009)
Sir Philip Green battles #MeToo allegations
Former Topshop manager Auna Irvine accused Sir Philip Green of a year-long campaign of sexual harassment
Sir Philip Green, 66, who owns the Arcadia Group including Topshop, was named as the businessman who took out an injunction to stop The Daily Telegraph printing claims of sexual harassment and racial abuse.
He has denied any unlawful conduct.
Last week a Topshop manager in Las Vegas accused him of a year-long campaign of sexual harassment.
Auna Irvine, who headed one of the billionaire’s flagship US stores, said she had counselling to help her recover from alleged intimidation and bullying.
The 33-year-old claimed Sir Philip would grab her waist, slap her bottom and make inappropriate comments about her breasts.
Sir Philip would phone her at night, shout and call her ‘naughty’. She added that he would demean her in front of staff and his friends.
Miss Irvine said she was ‘destroyed’ by the ordeal she allegedly endured at the hands of Sir Philip. ‘I felt extremely demeaned and devalued,’ she said. ‘It took years off my life.’ She claimed employees turned a blind eye to the billionaire’s behaviour, saying: ‘Everybody lives in fear.’
Sir Philip was named in Parliament as the businessman at the centre of sex pest and bullying claims.
The tycoon has vehemently denied the allegations.
The media has been barred from reporting sex harassment and racism claims levelled against the tycoon by British employees because of an injunction.
However, the Telegraph revealed Miss Irvine’s allegations because she is based in the US.
Always demanding the best performers at his luxurious birthday bashes, Rihanna even sang at his daughter Chloe’s birthday until they reportedly fell out over a copyright claim.
But as he was engulfed by a sexual harassment scandal his friends have distanced themselves from him despite his repeated denials.
Green, 66, was identified last month by former cabinet minister Lord Hain using parliamentary privilege.
Green strongly denies the claims made against him said at the time that he had suffered ‘the worst week of my life’.
He was last week identified as the man who had taken out an injunction preventing publication of allegations about harassing staff – allegations which he vigorously denies.
Sir Philip’s wife Tina Green has stood by him.
He met his twice-married wife at a party in 1985, and her first opinion of the businessman was that he ‘was dreadful’.
The next night the couple met at another party, where she claims she ‘fell in love at that moment’.
Soon the divorcee, whose failed marriage with a jazz drummer spawned two children named Stasha and Brett, would give up her job as the owner of a boutique in Knightsbridge.
Five years later, Tina would marry Sir Philip where they would go on to form a business partnership that would dominate the British high street for years to come.
She became Lady Christina Green in 2006 when her husband was knighted for services to retail.
Tina, who lives a life of luxury in Monaco, is the sole shareholder of many of Sir Philip’s companies, meaning the couple minimise their tax liability in the UK.
Green’s daughter Chloe is a socialite and heiress to the Arcadia empire.
Often scene at glitzy events in London and other fashion capitals across the world she recently had a baby with ‘hot felon’, Jeremy Meeks.
The ladies in his life: Sir Philip is pictured with his glamorous wife Lady Christina and their daughter Chloe at a cocktail party in Cannes in May 2017
Simon Cowell joshes with Sir Philip Green in 2006. He has now bought the retail tycoon out of his Syco Entertainment label following a falling out three years ago