Louis Vuitton Sued Citing Discrimination After Black Customers Allege They Were 'Blacklisted' Without Cause
Luxury retailer Louis Vuitton has reportedly been slapped with a lawsuit after a mother and daughter claimed they were treated unfairly compared to white patrons in the same stores.
In court documents obtained by 'TMZ', Tracy Renee Williams claimed she preordered nearly $50,000 worth of items from a Costa Mesa LV retail location, but she never received the delivery.
When she went to a Beverly Hills location, she claimed that an employee at the store — a white manager — told her she was no longer welcome, and that she'd be arrested if she came back.
Williams alleged that she later sent her white assistant into the store, and reported that he was treated respectfully and was able to successfully make a purchase with several thousand dollars in cash.
The social media savvy entrepreneur claims that her business — reviewing and showcasing Louis Vuitton goods — took a hit following, as it was reported that she lost about $40,000 a month in revenue since she's been banned from the high-end retailer.
Williams' daughter Brandi — one of three in the classic 90s pop group, BLAQUE — is also named in the suit citing discrimination. The LV manager at the Beverly Hills location refused to allow her to shop before falsely accusing her of spending "drug money," also threatening to have her arrested if she didn't leave the store.
Brandi also claimed a repeat situation took place at a Louis Vuitton retailer located in New Orleans.
The mother and daughter duo also have a witness in tow, who claims he saw staff show a white customer a specific jacket — meanwhile when he asked, he was told that same style wasn't available.
Tracy and Brandi's witness and friend, Kristopher Enoch, later allegedly got an email stating that he was "blacklisted" from shopping the stores. Per the media outlet, all three involved are seeking damages in addition to punitive.
The trio have also issued a court order to have the high-end luxury store stop blacklisting them.
