Former “Real Housewives of New York City” star Bethenny Frankel is being dragged by “Real Housewives of New Jersey” alum Dina Manzo and her daughter, Lexi Ioannou. Their beef originated after Frankel reportedly failed to support Ioannou’s clothing business after she was seen wearing gifted products. Now, in a new video, Frankel is responding to Manzo and her daughter, saying she can do whatever she wants.
On Friday, May 15, Frankel posted a video of herself showing off her outfit. She called it a “Fit Check.”
“This dress is insane, and the price is ridiculous,” she said on her Instagram Stories, according to Us Weekly.
In another post, Frankel responded to a follower who asked the outspoken reality star where they could purchase the shoes she was wearing.
Frankel then reportedly shared a link to a similar item sold by Bloomingdale’s for $375, telling her followers that it was “the same look.”
Manzo took umbrage at the post, claiming that her daughter, Ioannou, had actually gifted Frankel the shoes she was wearing and criticizing her for linking to a competitor rather than the original source: Ioannou’s fashion brand, Nou.
“Wow, Bethenny, Wow!! So odd of you to post a dupe of your GIFTED @shopnou shoes instead of giving a young woman entrepreneur credit,” she wrote on a post. “You wear them often so we know you like them??”
Manzo’s Daughter Slammed Bethenny Frankel In A Post, Calling The ‘Real Housewives’ Icon A ‘Weirdo’
Manzo’s daughter, Ioannou, also chimed in on the conversation, expressing her frustration with the situation because Frankel had encouraged her.
“Bethenny Frankel is a weirdo,” she said. “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 said that Frankel failed to link her business and instead allegedly linked a product on which she earns a commission.
“I guess she’s got to get that bag in some sort of way? So, she got the shoes for free from a woman-founded brand, mine, and then she made money sending her followers somewhere else,” she said.
Manzo commented on the video, telling her daughter how “proud” she was of her for standing up for herself.
Bethenny Frankel Says She Always Planned To Give Credit To Ioannou
Last night, Frankel shared an in-depth “OOTD” video on Instagram, revealing the brands behind each piece of her outfit, including Ioannou’s fashion brand, Nou. She captioned the clip, “FYI, I always give credit where credit is due.”
Just hours ago, Frankel seemed to address the drama on TikTok, saying she wouldn’t normally respond to the claims, but believed there was a “business lesson” for some to learn amid the chaos.
Frankel explained that she always planned to credit the designer in her fit check, as seen in the video linked above; however, her team didn’t plan on posting it until later.
She went on to say that she couldn’t link to the original pair of shoes in her first post because they were sold out. “The audience gets frustrated when they can’t buy something immediately,” she said. “Why would I wear it and talk about it if they can’t buy it?”
Frankel Shares Clear Message: ‘My Body, My Choice’
Continuing, Frankel said she regularly receives gifts from brands. Even then, she said she wasn’t obligated to post about it.
Although Frankel didn’t mention Ioannou by name, she referenced her “scathing video” and implied that she would regret her decision to blast her.
“There are about 100 brands that will watch this video that will message her to tell her how much product I move,” she said. “I move a lot of product, because I don’t bullsh-t.”
She added, “Playing the short game, and whining and being a crybaby about something that didn’t go your way in business, means you’re not a real business person, and you have a lot to learn.”
Frankel finished by saying she would’ve worn “all of the shoes on your site and you would’ve sold thousands of pairs and made hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, my account, my body, my choice. Once you send those shoes into my house, my shoes. You’re welcome.”
Frankel has received a heated response to her video online. In her TikTok comments, one user said her video was a “horrible” look.
Another user encouraged Frankel, who founded the culinary brand Skinnygirl, to reflect on her early days as a businesswoman. “Remember, someone helped you along the way,” they wrote.
A third said, “Girl, just apologize. Yes, you can do whatever you want, but do the right thing,” while a fourth asked, “But why tag a dupe? Just say this is a shoe, and they are currently out of stock due to popularity! People are capable of finding similar shoes; no need to take a dupe.”