Moschino USA is being sued by one of its former sales supervisors, who claimed that the brand engaged in racial profiling and discrimination against black customers. Former employee Shamael Lataillade filed a lengthy complaint against the brand in a California state court on Friday.
Also named as a defendant in the case is Ranna Selbak, Lataillade's former manager at the West Hollywood–based Moschino store. Lataillade alleges in the lawsuit that Selbak would reference non-celebrity black shoppers as "Serenas," among other discriminatory actions.
Lataillade, a Haitian-American woman, worked in the West Hollywood Moschino store since 2015.
However, last spring, she says she was wrongfully fired after making multiple complaints to corporate about her manager's behavior. She also mentions enduring "ongoing and atrocious harassment and discrimination based on her status as a Black, Haitian American woman."
According to the lawsuit, Lataillade's former supervisor, Selbak, referred to black customers who didn't wear name brands or diamonds as "Serenas."
Selbak would also advise her employees to keep a close watch on them, Lataillade alleges.
Further claims in the lawsuit include Selbak instructing employees to tell "Serenas" certain items were out of stock and to take photos of their license plates.
One incident even resulted in the cops being called on a "suspicious black customer." According to Lataillade, Selbak would engage in many other acts that caused customers to feel "degradation, humiliation, harassment, and discrimination."
It wasn't just the customers Selbak discriminated against; it was her own employees as well, including Lataillade.
"Selbak’s racial animus was clear," Lataillade says in the complaint. She "would verbally abuse [Lataillade], calling her names, yelling, and berating her." She adds that Selbak called her "ghetto" and a "thief," said she "practiced voodoo" due to her Haitian heritage, and constantly drew attention to her "natural, kinky hair," which she referred to as an "unprofessional look." Oof.
While Lataillade's claims are specifically targeted toward her manager, it's worth noting that on multiple occasions, she took these issues to corporate staff with no results.
In March 2018, just a day after she reached out to corporate for the second time about Selbak's "continued discriminatory, harassing, and retaliatory behavior," Lataillade was fired. Selbak allegedly told her, "Tomorrow will be your last day due to the sequence of events. Contact corporate like you have been doing."
Lataillade has filed 17 different claims, in total.
These claims include breach of contract, race harassment and discrimination, religious harassment and discrimination, gender harassment and discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, defamation, and various others stemming from breaches of California state law.
She is seeking monetary damages, noting that the defendants' misconduct "was committed intentionally, in a malicious, oppressive, fraudulent manner."
The fashion industry has long been notorious for discrimination, stereotyping, and failing to serve people of color. Why, in 2019, is this still happening?
Former customers, fans of the brand, and many others are vowing to never buy Moschino again.
While one manager isn't necessarily representative of the brand as a whole, the fact that corporate ignored Lataillade's complaints is indicative of its feelings on the matter.
In fact, they have chosen not to comment much on the lawsuit at all.
In a statement to InStyle, a brand rep said that "Moschino denies the allegations made by the former employee," and that "it is our practice not to comment on pending legal matters." They also added that the company "complies with applicable equal employment laws and values and respects all customers and clients regardless of their race or background."
While Moschino stays quiet, however, people on social media are speaking out.
"Moschino is awfully quiet about the fact they're being sued for racial profiling," one Twitter user noted.
One woman pointed out that rather than complain about something that still hasn't changed, women of color should stop supporting these discriminatory brands altogether.
Instead, she says to show support toward black-owned brands, and provides a list for everyone to browse.
It's worth mentioning that this is not the first time Moschino has been under fire for discrimination.
Last year, people were pissed off that the brand's creative director, Jeremy Scott, captioned a photo of Kendall Jenner with blue skin: "“THE ONLY THING ILLEGAL ABOUT THIS ALIEN IS HOW GOOD SHE LOOKS!" The caption has now been changed, but fans said the caption was totally tone-deaf in light of the current border crisis.
Honestly, I'm too tired to deal with any more bullshit after 2018.
It might be a new year, but people still suck. Stay tuned for more news as the Shamael Lataillade v. Moschino USA Inc. and Ranna Selbak case develops.
