Dina Manzo and Daughter Lexi Call Out Bethenny Frankel for Not Giving Proper Credit for ‘Gifted’ Shoes
Dina Manzo and Lexi Ioannou Call Out Bethenny Frankel for Fashion Oversight
Dina Manzo, former star of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and her daughter Lexi Ioannou recently targeted Bethenny Frankel, a notable alum of The Real Housewives of New York City, after she allegedly failed to credit them for a pair of shoes she wore on social media.
On May 15, Frankel posted an image of herself wearing a strapless polka dot sundress to her Instagram Stories, describing the dress as “insane” and the price as “ridiculous.” When a follower complimented her black peep-toe pumps, Frankel suggested a pair from Bloomingdale’s that retails for $375, neglecting to mention that her actual shoes were a complimentary gift from Ioannou’s fashion brand, Nou.
“Wow Bethenny Wow!!” Manzo remarked via her Instagram Stories. “So odd of you to post a dupe of your GIFTED @shopnou shoes instead of giving a young woman entrepreneur credit. You wear them often so we know you like them??” She included a link for followers interested in purchasing the original Nou shoes.
Lexi Ioannou, 30, who launched Nou, also expressed her disappointment regarding the oversight in a video shared on Instagram. “Bethenny Frankel is a weirdo,” she stated. “I sent her a pair of shoes from Nou almost a year ago because I look up to her. [She is a] female entrepreneur [and from the] Bravo universe like me.”
Ioannou noted that Frankel reportedly didn’t tag Nou in her posts despite wearing the mules multiple times. “OK, that happens,” she added. “But then she posted a video today that’s going viral and a bunch of people are asking where the shoes are from. Instead of linking them, she linked a dupe with an affiliate link. I guess she’s got to get that bag in some sort of way? She got the shoes for free from a woman-founded brand, mine, and then she made money sending her followers somewhere else.”
Dina Manzo supported her daughter in the comments, saying, “Proud of you for standing up for yourself and the brand you’ve worked so hard to build ❤️.”
In response to the controversy, Frankel shared an “Outfit of the Day” video and mentioned Ioannou’s brand, clarifying, “The shoes are Nou. N-O-U, I think.”
This exchange highlights both the challenges and dynamics often faced by entrepreneurs in the fashion industry, particularly regarding brand acknowledgment in high-profile circles.
