'I Started This Whole Category': Martha Stewart's History of Dismissing (and Later Praising) Gwyneth Paltrow's Lifestyle Ambitions

Martha Stewart has never hidden her opinions about Gwyneth Paltrow’s venture into the lifestyle space. Over the years, she’s publicly questioned Paltrow’s authenticity, dismissed her credibility — and more recently, offered reluctant praise.

Martha Stewart has long been regarded as the original lifestyle mogul — and she hasn’t hesitated to defend her territory.

Over the years, the 83-year-old businesswoman has made a number of sharp — and occasionally surprising — remarks about Gwyneth Paltrow and her wellness brand, Goop. What started as criticism has, more recently, shifted into something resembling respect.

“She Really Wants to Be Part of the Lifestyle Business”

In a 2013 interview with Bloomberg Television, Stewart was asked about Paltrow’s then-rising presence in the lifestyle space.

“I haven't eaten at Gwyneth's house and I don't know how she lives, but if she's authentic, all the better. I certainly hope she is,” Stewart said. “She really wants to be part of the lifestyle business. She's a charming, pretty person who has a feeling for lifestyle. Fine, good.”

She added pointedly, “I think I started this whole category of lifestyle.”

“She Just Needs to Be Quiet”

By 2014, her tone had hardened. In a feature for Net-a-Porter magazine, Stewart made headlines after suggesting Paltrow should reconsider her ambitions.

“She just needs to be quiet. She’s a movie star,” Stewart said. “If she were confident in her acting, she wouldn’t be trying to be Martha Stewart.”

Paltrow: “I’m So Psyched That She Sees Us as Competition”

Paltrow responded to the criticism at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit later that year.

“First of all, no one has ever said anything bad about me before, so I’m shocked and devastated. I’ll try to recover,” she joked. “If I’m really honest, I’m so psyched that she sees us as competition. I really am.”

“She Does That Kind of Irritating…”

Years later, Stewart was again asked about Paltrow’s unconventional Goop product line — specifically the viral This Smells Like My Vagina candle. During a 2020 appearance on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," she said:

“She does that kind of irritating... you know, she's trying to juice up the public to listen to her. Okay, and that’s great. I mean, let her do her thing.”

When host Andy Cohen asked if she would buy the candle, Stewart replied, “I wouldn’t buy that candle.” Pressed further, she said, “Not necessarily.”

Asked what the product’s success said about the country, she quipped, “I think it’s not America. I think it’s a lot of guys who are horny. Horny guys are buying that candle.”

A Shift in Tone: “She’s Pretty Powerful”

In 2024, Stewart’s stance appeared to soften. In an interview with Yahoo Lifestyle, she praised Paltrow while discussing authenticity in the lifestyle industry:

“Gwyneth has been very successful; she created quite an interesting body of businesses. She's admired. She won an Oscar for heaven’s sake as an actress! She's pretty powerful.”

She concluded with a brief message to her successors: “I don't mind. Good luck.”

While Stewart’s earlier critiques often suggested rivalry, Paltrow has largely responded with humor and composure. Today, both women remain influential forces — each commanding her own corner of a now-crowded industry Stewart helped define.