Jen Shah’s former clothing designer Koa Johnson says he was left “traumatized” after a 10-month stint with the “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star.
On Friday, after a sound was allegedly leaked about Shah blaming the designer, Johnson told Page Six that the incident took place on November 6, 2020, five days before the season 1 premiere of “RHOSLC.”
“It was a very, very stressful time,” Johnson, who was tasked with designing his outfit for the premiere, told us. “I was not sleeping. I wasn’t taking care of myself physically and mentally, but I was still operating on adrenaline. ”
He added: “It was like the most traumatic months of my life.”
While Johnson claims he doesn’t know who leaked the sound, he’s happy that someone recorded it.
He also claimed that the incident was in fact Shah’s fault, as she caused delays in getting the outfit – which she wore to “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen” that night – together.
“There was a delay on the material, which was from her,” he says. “We were waiting for him to receive all the money transferred to his credit card to be bought. This process delayed him even more. “
Johnson says he finally managed to buy on Nov. 9, but only had 17-20 hours to turn around and make his two-piece suit.
In a short time with the 47-year-old reality star, Johnson designed around 12 looks for her, including her Biden-Harris dress, the cast photo dress and the reunion dress.
“I really felt like a sister and I was her brother,” he said, adding that they were both of Polynesian descent. “I came from the same blood, from the same race.”
However, Johnson also claims that Shah neglected to pay him for most of his work, claiming on Instagram that he was last paid “in September, even though I continued to work until January.”
“Many of the reasons I continued to work with her [despite] these circumstances [was] because I really cared about her, ”he told us. “How we prove this to our brothers or sisters, to our people we look at, is that we do things because we show our love.”
Representatives for Shah did not return immediately.
Johnson – who also designed Heather Gay’s reunion dress – says she quit working for Shah on Jan. 11 after recording the “RHOSLC” reunion. The final straw for him was when Shah didn’t shout at him.
“I watch everyone behave and say who they’re wearing,” he recalled, “and Heather told me that when she got to Jen, I was expecting her to say the same thing and tell me her name, and she that didn’t hurt me either. “
He added: “That hurt so much because it was the last dress I was going to make for her for season 1.”
Johnson hopes that talking about what he would have experienced would have helped others in similar situations.
“I have to tell my truth and I hope that if there is anyone else working in a hostile work environment, they will come out and talk about it,” he said, adding that he wants Shah to see him and assumes responsibility for her actions and behaviors. ”
“I know it was a problem during Season 1 that I didn’t take any responsibility or anything, because I was there for the witness. I really wish him good luck for season 2 – he will need it “.