Christian McCaffrey transfers his talent from the astroturf to the commentary section – and defends his new wife Olivia Culpo.
The former Miss Universe and the San Francisco 49ers running back were married last weekend in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, and according to exclusive photos in Vogue, everything seemed to go smoothly.
But the happy couple’s wedding had a problem: On the Internet hated Culpo’s covered wedding dress. The classic, tailored design by Dolce & Gabbana worked well for her traditional ceremony, but went against other people’s opinions.
“I didn’t want it to be sexed in any way,” Culpo told Vogue of the dress. “I wanted it to feel effortless and like it complemented me and not overwhelmed me. It’s so beautiful and simple.”
“When I think of Christian and what he loves and the moments when he finds me most beautiful, it is definitely like this: timeless, covered and elegant,” she said.
Now McCaffrey is hitting back at her haters.
Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey get married: See her dress
Christian McCaffrey criticizes Olivia Culpo’s wedding dress
In an Instagram and TikTok video posted after the McCaffreys’ ceremony, stylist Kennedy Bingham fueled harsh criticism of Culpo’s modest look, calling the dress “nothing” and “lacking any personality.” But the second eldest son of a dynasty of American football players did not attend the game.
“What an evil thing to post online. I hope you can find joy and peace in the world like my beautiful wife,” the Stanford University graduate wrote on Bingham’s video.
The normally mild-mannered McCaffrey is the son of former NFL player Ed McCaffrey, and his three brothers have also played the sport: Miami Dolphins coach Max McCaffrey, University of Northern Colorado quarterback Dylan McCaffrey and Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey.
“@christianmccaffrey So it’s mean to point out the possible internalized misogyny behind her argument, your (in my opinion) patriarchal commentary, and the racist/homophobic/fatphobic past of the designers she’s worked with?” Bingham responded to the football star.
Others pointed out that Culpo also wore a striking, less demure outfit when cutting the couple’s cake, which Vogue described as “a silk bodysuit with a little cage skirt.”
Dolce & Gabbana has been at the center of numerous controversies over the past decade.
In 2015, the designer duo apologized after shocking the fashion world with their opposition to gay adoption and children conceived through in vitro fertilization – even though Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana are gay themselves.
In the heavily criticized comments, the designers described the children born through artificial insemination as “synthetic” and “chemical offspring and rented wombs.”
In 2018, the Italian duo apologized following backlash on social media over a video showing Asian models eating Italian food with chopsticks, which many felt was disrespectful to Chinese culture.
“From Miss Universe to Miss Pick Me,” says stylist Kennedy Bingham about Olivia Culpo
Bingham’s post, which she captioned “From Miss Universe to Miss Pick Me, Olivia Culpo earns her crown,” sparked fierce reactions from both her and Culpo’s critics.
The TikTok star, who has a million followers, told viewers there was “nothing wrong” with Culpo’s “modest attire,” but said Culpo’s statements went “beyond just wanting something modest for herself and promoted the idea of what she thought all brides should look like.”
Some commenters criticized Bingham’s attitude, saying, “This is seriously so unnecessary and rude, the internet is going crazy” and “This is too far-fetched.” Others said, “It’s not that deep, she got married in a church and takes her faith seriously and wanted a dress that reflected that” and “You should be soooo ashamed of yourself for that attitude.”
Some accused Culpo of promoting the “trad wife” perspective of conservative content creators who are gaining increasing attention on social media. One wrote of Bingham’s video: “Don’t tell us this dress is unique when there are plenty of beautiful, simple dresses without all the gross trad wife context.”
Another wrote: “A winter wedding dress here in Rhode Island when it’s hot… That’s a crazy choice. I know she was sweltering in the heat.”
Then, of course, McCaffrey got involved.
Contributors: Maria Puente, Cydney Henderson and David Oliver
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why do people hate Olivia Culpo’s wedding dress?
