Read the Disturbing Claims From Six Staff Whistleblowers Who Have Exposed Blake Lively's Lifestyle Brand as 'Toxic and Insane' Workplace
Blake Lively's former lifestyle brand staffers have broken their silence on working in a 'toxic' environment.
May 21 2025, Published 4:00 p.m. ET
Blake Lively has been accused by former employees of running a "toxic" workplace at her now defunct lifestyle brand, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Six ex-staffers came forward and detailed disturbing accounts of working at Lively's Goop-inspired online brand, Preserve, which closed shop less than a year after launching in 2014.
'An Absolute Disaster'
A staffer called Lively's lawsuit against Justin Baldoni (L) 'deeply ironic' based on their experience working for her.
One of the six former staffers who came forward with allegations against Lively called the "entire company an absolute disaster."
The former staffer reportedly found Lively's legal claims against her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni "deeply ironic" given their alleged experience working for the Gossip Girl alum's brand.
They said: "The workplace allegations that Blake is making now (against Baldoni) are deeply ironic, given that it was one of the most insane, toxic, emotionally draining and disorganized environments you could imagine."
Lively Accused of Not Caring About Brand
Lively was accused of being 'careless' about her brand.
A second ex-employee echoed the claims as they bashed Lively for not caring about her brand, which sold artisanal home goods.
They said: "The impression (Lively) left on me after I worked at Preserve is that she doesn't care. It was a really toxic work environment."
Another staffer recalled a stunning example of Lively allegedly being careless when they arrived at her Westchester, New York, home for a brand photo shoot.
The staffer said when the Preserve team and models showed up at Lively's house, she came out "looking like an absolute mess."
Staffers Forced to Work on the Ground For 'Months'
Staffers claimed Lively's brother Eric acted 'unprofessional' as creative director and 'overslept' frequently.
In addition to Lively's alleged unprofessional behavior, her brother Eric Lively, who was hired as Preserve's creative director, reportedly "overslept" often, leading to staffers having to wait outside the Manhattan studio apartment where the company was based in harsh weather.
One employee said: "(Eric) was completely unqualified to run a company. There were a lot of ways in which the employment was unprofessional."
Once inside the tiny apartment, ex-employees claimed they were forced to work sitting on floor for "months" as they waited for the office to be furnished.
The source added: "For many weeks or months, there were no desks. The irony of it being a lifestyle site that was selling these really expensive wares was not lost on anyone."
Another claimed Eric was merely an "actor" who was "acting the part of creative director."
Backlash Buried by Lively's Publicist
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Ex-employees claimed Lively's publicist 'buried' their allegations.
In addition to unprofessional leadership and an unfurnished office, sources claimed they were asked to work "a crazy amount" for the failing brand.
Other raised issues with pay, with two claiming they were unable to afford subway fare and were not compensated on time.
After allegedly threatening legal action, some staffers were said to have received settlements of up to $300,000.
Despite the shocking claims, a source claimed Lively never faced public backlash over Preserve thanks to her publicist Leslie Sloane.
They said: "Leslie Sloane shut it down. They buried every single thing from that company."
