Anand Jon's Designs Skew a Bit Young
Oct. 27 2008, Published 7:07 a.m. ET
COME IN KIDS' SIZES? Alexander, with Michelle Rodriguez (left) and friend
Friends of Anand Jon Alexander, the Indian fashion designer who was arrested for rape and sexual assault last week, were surprised to hear the accusations—but not all that surprised. In fact, they say, America's Next Top Model designer Alexander has shown a creepy interest in much younger women—some of them budding celebrities—for years.
"He always had these really young, super-skinny, waify models hanging around him, thinking he would make them huge stars," says one former pal. Alexander's intentions toward the girls, who were often 16 or 17 years old, were ambiguous, adds the pal. "I never once saw him make a sexual advance with one of these girls. I never even heard him talk about sex."
But there was no question, says another friend, that Alexander put a lot of effort into cultivating high school girls for something.