Jen Shah’s former clothing designer, Koa Johnson, says he was “traumatized” after spending 10 months with the “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star.
On Friday, after alleged sound was leaked of Shah berating the designer, Johnson told Page Six that the incident took place on November 6, 2020, five days before the premiere of “RHOSLC” Season 1.
“It was a very, very stressful time,” Johnson – who was tasked with designing her outfit for the premiere – told us. ‘I was not sleeping. I wasn’t taking care of myself physically or mentally, but I was still operating on adrenaline. ”
He added, “It was just the most traumatizing months of my life.”
While Johnson claims he doesn’t know who leaked the audio, he’s glad someone recorded it.
He also claimed the incident was actually Shah’s fault, as she caused the delays in getting the outfit together – which she wore on ‘Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen’ that night.
“There was a delay on the fabric, which was on her part,” he claims. I waited for her to transfer all the money to the credit card to buy it. That process has slowed it down even more. “
Johnson says he was finally able to make the purchase on Nov. 9, but only had 5-8 hours to turn and make the two-piece suit for her.
During his short time with the 47-year-old reality star, Johnson designed about 12 looks for her, including her Biden-Harris dress, her cast photo dress, and reunion outfits.
“I really felt like she was a sister and that I was her brother,” he said, adding that they are both of Polynesian descent. “We came from the same blood, same race.”
However, Johnson also claims that Shah failed to pay him for most of his work, claiming on Instagram that he was last paid “in September, even though I continued to work through January.”
“Many of the reasons I continued to work with her [despite] those circumstances [was] because I really cared about her, ”he told us. “How we prove it to our brothers and sisters or our sisters, our people, that we look up to is that we do things because we show our love.”
Shah’s representatives did not return to us immediately.
Johnson – who also designed Heather Gay’s reunion dress – says he quit working for Shah on January 11, after filming the ‘RHOSLC’ reunion. The last straw for him was when Shah didn’t give him a shout.
“I watch everyone say who they are wearing,” he recalled, “and Heather told me and when it went to Jen I expected her to say the same thing and say my name and she didn’t and it hurt me . “
He added, “That hurt me so much because it was the last dress I was going to do for her for season 1.”
Johnson hopes that speaking out what he has reportedly been through will help others in similar situations.
“I have to speak my truth and hope that if there is someone else who works in a hostile work environment, they will come out and talk about it,” he said, adding that he wants Shah to see it and “take responsibility for it. its actions and behavior. “
“I know this has been a problem during her season 1, she doesn’t take any responsibility or anything because I was there for the witness. I really wish her the best of luck for Season 2 – she will need it. “