He’s one of the most successful entertainment moguls of all time, but Jay Z may have hit a sour note in his partnership with Barneys New York.
According to a report, the “Picasso Baby” is teaming with the high-end retailer to release his New York Holiday collection of jackets, watches, backpacks, and scarves, but after the store was involved in alleged racial profiling of customers, he may reconsider the deal.
A 19-year-old college student named Trayon Christian was arrested by undercover police officers earlier this year as they suspected him of using a stolen debit card to purchase a $349 Salvatore Ferragamo belt. He has since filed a lawsuit against the store.
Furthermore, 21-year-old Kayla Phillips was treated “roughly” by police when she spent her income tax return on a $2,500 purse and was questioned thereafter.
A rep for Barney told press, "Barneys New York believes that no customer should have the unacceptable experience described in recent media reports, and we offer our sincere regret and deepest apologies. We want to reinforce that Barneys New York has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination. We are a strong proponent of equal rights and equal treatment for all human beings. Our mission is to ensure that all customers receive the highest-quality service--without exception."
Despite Barneys’ best efforts, there’s a Change.org petition with over 2,000 signatures calling for Jay Z to drop his connection to the store. The petition states, “If he does this, he will send a clear message to all corporations that are likeminded, that this behavior cannot be tolerated any longer."
No comments:
Post a Comment