Update: The social media exchanges between Kat Von D and Jeffree Star have continued into the evening, but Star's highly anticipated response video has yet to surface. In fact, Star has implied it might not be coming. Below is an update to today’s story with the latest Twitter exchanges.
This article was originally published on July 19, 2016, at 7 p.m.
An ongoing feud between makeup entrepreneurs and former friends Kat Von D and Jeffree Star came to a head today, with Von D releasing an Instagram post and a tell-all video that documents the duo’s one-time friendship and explosive falling-out.
While this came out of nowhere for many fans, it appears as if tensions had been rising for months, according to a nearly 14-minute video posted by Von D. For Von D, the disintegration of her friendship with Star seems to have culminated in a text exchange that went down last week, in which Von D claimed she was working to advocate for a friend who created artwork for Star, but who allegedly never got paid. “I kindly ask you, Jeffree...all I ask is that you do the right thing,” Von D pleads in her video.
So how and when did it all go wrong? Here’s everything we know so far in timeline form, but it’s important to note: Star has not yet posted a detailed rebuttal to the video, nor did he respond to our request for comment at press time. We will update the story with his response — which is expected sometime later tonight — as the situation unfolds.
2006: According to a tweet posted (and seemingly deleted) today by Star, he and Von D became friends about 10 years ago. In the video she posted today, Von D remembers Jeffree during this period as a friend whom she was eager to help. “I can tell you how he started his makeup line. I can tell you because I was there,” she says in the video. She even claims that she “hooked him up” with her factory contacts and an artist friend who could help with logo design.
2014: Jeffree Star launches his namesake makeup line. Von D later details her involvement in her video, saying that she connected Star with an artist, BJ, who she says helped create graphic designs for the Jeffree Star brand. “BJ drew up his logos, and Jeffree went forward with them — and it’s the logos you see now on all the caps on all his lipsticks. [Star] never, never paid BJ. BJ would call him, and Jeffree basically blocked his phone,” she claims.
Later in the video, she shows BJ’s original mock-ups for Jeffree Star packaging and logos and reads a text from BJ in her phone that states, “He didn’t need me anymore after that. He had the artwork already.” Von D alleges that’s when Star stopped taking BJ’s calls and refused to pay him. Von D then says, “I think as far as being an ethical company, it’s really wrong what Jeffree has done. I think he needs to pay BJ.”
June 12, 2016: Beauty blogger Stephanie Nicole posts a 40-plus-minute video in which she reviews new Jeffree Star products and discusses some of the online controversy surrounding the brand.
July 16, 2016: Von D discovers that BJ, the artist she recommended to Star, was supposedly never paid. In her later video, Von D continues, “The minute I found out about that, which was this last Saturday, I texted Jeffree and said, 'Hey Jeffree, can you explain to me why you haven’t paid BJ?' And he basically told me to go fuck myself and then blocked my number.”
July 17, 2016: Von D tweets a heart to @StefNicole, with no additional text. Fans speculate that this is Von D’s way of saluting the vlogger’s video.
July 19, 2016: In the wee hours of the morning, Von D posts a pic and note on Instagram announcing her desire to no longer be associated with Star. Fans and Star note that the photo used in the IG pic is from nine years ago. Star is not tagged. In her later video, Von D explains, “When someone blocks you you can’t [tag them]... The photo I chose was the photo of Jeffree when I knew him. That was, like, the Jeffree I know. The Jeffree that he is now is, like, this monster. This big, like, attention-seeking, fame-desiring, money-driven monster that I want no part of.” Shots. Fired.
July 19, 2016: Star responds to Von D’s Instagram post with a series of tweets, including, “She accused me of something that wasn’t true, so I told her to fuck off, then blocked her number. Not that juicy of a story, sorry.”
Kat and I texted a few days ago after 6 MONTHS of silence. She never supported me or my brand and got distant when I launched mine.
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) July 19, 2016
She accused me of something that wasn't true, so I told her to fuck off and then blocked her number. Not that juicy of a story, sorry
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) July 19, 2016
Instead of feeding into negativity and internet fights, I'm going back to the real world and off to enjoy the rest of my day <3
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) July 19, 2016
July 19, 2016: As promised, Von D posts a 14-minute follow-up video that she filmed while in Singapore. The testimonial describes the allegations she’s made and her take on the events that have led up to this point. Von D concludes the video by saying, “I don't want anybody to go after Jeffree. I don't want to go and attack or start wars. I think, if anything, we can just, like, send positive vibes his way and hopefully we can make some changes in his life.”
July 19, 2016: Star tweets this response: “There are 2 sides of every story. The truth will come out later today,” followed by a Snapchat video in which he calmly states, “So I woke up to a video that Kat posted this morning full of some really interesting lies and propaganda.”
There are 2 sides to every story. The truth will come out later today.
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) July 19, 2016
He continues, “There are two sides to every story, so if you want to believe her, that’s fine. But the truth is going to come out.”
Finally, Star said, “I know you guys are expecting me to pop off and be crazy, but that’s not how I react when something’s not true. Later tonight, I will be addressing the false allegations, the ‘logo drama’ which is already squashed, and everything else she lied about.”
July 19, 2016: Star spoke out again this afternoon, tweeting, “There is no beef with BJ. We worked together in 2014 on an idea and someone else took over. Everyone's been paid. #chillout ”
There is no beef with BJ. We worked together in 2014 on an idea and someone else took over. Everyone's been paid. #chillout
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) July 19, 2016
Star then tweeted: “I never stole my logo. Where's the receipts??? Where's the lawsuit?? I created my brand in 2014. The truth is not in her video.”
I never stole my logo. Where's the receipts??? Where's the lawsuit?? I created my brand in 2014. The truth is not in her video.
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) July 19, 2016
He continued his comment: “If people spent this much time worrying about themselves, instead of sitting online for hours talking about strangers... Like damn.”
If people spent this much time worrying about themselves, instead of sitting online for hours talking about strangers... Like damn
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) July 19, 2016
An hour later, Von D responded with an update via Twitter, saying, “Jeffree. Please, do yourself a favor and stop lying. BJ texted me that you reached out w a settlement proposal an hour after I posted video...”
Jeffree. Please,do yourself a favor and stop lying. BJ texted me that you reached out w a settlement proposal an hour after I posted video..
— Kat Von D (@thekatvond) July 19, 2016
She continued in a follow-up tweet: “...so things are not 'settled' just yet. Would it be so hard to, for once, sincerely just apologize, make things right and move on?”
...so things are not "settled" just yet. Would it be so hard to, for once, sincerely just apologize, make things right and move on?
— Kat Von D (@thekatvond) July 19, 2016
As of 7 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, no further videos have been posted. But Star retweeted a fan’s comment, suggesting he should not make a video — an idea to which the cosmetics creator added a simple, “Amen.” Shortly thereafter, Star snapped a single shot of what looks like his palate cleanser du jour: mozzarella sticks.
Amen. https://t.co/cI8ZeSHVkB
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) July 20, 2016
We will update this post as soon as we learn more.
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