Australian activewear label Suave is officially closing its doors, months after its founders found themselves at the centre of an online firestorm over a video filmed of an unsuspecting man at the gym.
Founder Connor Wright announced the closure in an emotional video posted to Suave’s TikTok account, sharing that the business was in debt and had been struggling financially well before the scandal erupted.
He explained that the fallout from the incident – including customer backlash, harassment of people linked to the brand, and threats against him and his wife Chloe – made an already difficult situation untenable.
Connor also revealed he had lost his FIFO job after people contacted his employer, leaving him unable to continue funding Suave out of his own income.
‘Ultimately, we have decided that we’re going to be closing down Suave,’ he told followers.
The decision brings an abrupt end to a turbulent year for the label, which previously generated as much as $60,000 a month in sales.
‘Continuing to pour any money into Suave just doesn’t make sense to me, and I’d rather take everything I’ve learnt from this business and move into something else,’ he said.
‘We’re simply just trying to escape the debt that we’re in. There is no funding any future for Suave.’
Australian activewear label Suave is closing its doors, months after its founders found themselves at the centre of a firestorm over a video filmed of an unsuspecting man at the gym
Suave’s struggles predated the gym controversy
Connor was careful to stress that the gym video drama wasn’t the sole reason for Suave’s closure.
He described how running the business had become increasingly difficult while juggling work and major changes in his personal life.
‘A lot of people seem to think that Suave is just a big elaborate team, but it’s not. It’s just me, and Chloe helps out. I haven’t been able to afford to hire anyone,’ he said.
The couple married this year and have also been renovating their home, while Connor returned to FIFO work to help cover the costs associated with their house, wedding and honeymoon.
‘Honestly, Suave took a backseat to our lives. There wasn’t enough focus going into it,’ he admitted.
He acknowledged making strategic mistakes, particularly relying too much on TikTok for marketing.
‘I ended up putting way too many eggs into one basket,’ he said.
In May, Suave’s financial problems went public when Chloe filmed a stranger using a rowing machine in a gym viewed from a restaurant
‘The gym is a very vulnerable place, and I did violate that. I promise you I’ve learnt from this and I hope you guys can accept my apology,’ Chloe said at the time
Connor admitted he didn’t invest enough time in events, in-person promotion, or building an audience across other social media platforms.
Suave’s business model also stretched finances. Rather than white-labelling existing activewear, Connor designed products from scratch, leading to larger minimum orders and higher product costs.
‘By the end of it, we were left with f**k all, to be honest. My goal in the market was to create genuinely custom products. It wasn’t to create mass-produced s**t.’
The gym video that changed everything
In May, Suave’s financial problems went public when Chloe filmed a stranger using a rowing machine in a gym viewed from a restaurant.
She posted the footage to Instagram captioned, ‘Turns out me and Emily have been doing the rower wrong all these years,’ alongside a laughing emoji.
Fitness personality Joey Swoll, known for calling out poor gym etiquette, criticised the post.
‘A grown woman doesn’t know better than to film strangers in the gym to post online and make fun of them,’ he said.
Criticism quickly spread, with many arguing it was inappropriate for someone associated with an activewear brand to mock a gymgoer. The incident tapped into broader anxieties about gyms as intimidating spaces.
Connor and Chloe both apologised.
‘The gym is a very vulnerable place, and I did violate that. I promise you I’ve learnt from this and I hope you guys can accept my apology,’ Chloe said at the time.
Connor echoed her sentiments in his latest video: ‘I handled that situation f***ing terribly. I reacted really, really poorly, and yeah, I definitely agree that I could have done that better.’
Apology missteps and online backlash
Days after apologising, Connor posted another video, since deleted, expressing his frustration at ongoing criticism.
‘You asked for an apology, you got two of them. It still wasn’t f***ing good enough,’ he said.
Some critics saw this as undermining the couple’s earlier apologies, prolonging scrutiny on the brand.
Founder Connor Wright announced the closure in an emotional video, sharing that the small business was in debt and had been struggling financially well before the scandal erupted
Connor now concedes the video was a mistake, but says the backlash soon moved far beyond their behaviour.
According to Connor, he and Chloe received death threats, had their home and workplace addresses shared and faced threats to petrol bomb their home.
Creators working with Suave were targeted, customers were criticised for sharing their orders, and the brand’s content was repeatedly reported.
‘People have every right to be upset and to hold us accountable, I completely agree. But threatening livelihoods, safety, and attacking unrelated people, it’s just not normal.’
He added that the experience affected the couple’s sleep and fundamentally changed how he felt about the company.
Closure divides followers
News of Suave’s closure divided followers, reflecting the intensity of debate around the business. Some said the brand’s relationship with customers was irreparably damaged.
‘And this is why we don’t record strangers and post them on the internet making fun of them,’ wrote one.
According to Connor, he and Chloe received death threats, had their home and workplace addresses shared, and faced threats to petrol bomb their home
‘What goes around, comes around,’ said another.
Others argued that Connor’s job loss was disproportionate, with one noting: ‘No one should lose their job the way that you did. A very sad ending but all the best with the next adventure.’
One follower questioned whether Connor resented his wife; he firmly rejected the suggestion.
‘The only thing I have for my wife is love. We have only gotten stronger through all of this and we will continue to build an amazing life together,’ he replied.
Join the discussion
Should online outrage ever lead to someone’s business shutting down and losing their job?
Lessons for small business owners
The saga shows the precarious position small business owners occupy when they become public faces of their brand.
Social media allows tiny businesses to reach huge audiences without big budgets, but also blurs the line between personal conduct and company reputation.
Suave experienced both extremes within months. Connor accepts he and Chloe made mistakes, but maintains those were only part of a bigger story.
‘I’ve made business mistakes and personal mistakes in the last six months to a year. I’m f***ing making mistakes all the time and I’m always growing from them,’ he said.
As Suave prepares to shut down, Connor and Chloe intend to remain online and document whatever comes next.
His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs was blunt: ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
‘Don’t overcomplicate your first business, and your business is going to need all your time, passion, and attention. You’re gonna f**k things up, just take the lesson and do better next time.’
