Three Black friends who spend $500,000 annually at Louis Vuitton are suing the premium brand, alleging racial discrimination. They were banned from the store and accused of using “drug money” for their purchases.
Tracy Renne Williams, her daughter Brandi Williams, and their friend Kristopher Enoch filed a lawsuit in California federal court, claiming the brand prohibited them from buying at its stores and threatened them with arrest, according to a Daily Mail article.
The plaintiffs accuse Louis Vuitton of targeting them based on their race, and they believe that no one should be treated this way for “shopping while black.”
Tracy, a “VIP” customer, pre-ordered $50,000 worth of merchandise from the Louis Vuitton store in Costa Mesa, California, in September 2022. However, she was surprised to get an email from the business stating that they would no longer do any further transactions with her. This sparked her curiosity, and she set out to find answers.
The email from Louis Vuitton said: “Dear Mrs. Tracy Williams: It has come to our knowledge that Louis Vuitton was unable to meet your expectations. Please be notified that Louis Vuitton no longer wishes to do business with you. Please do not attempt to contact the stores again.
Following this appalling email, Tracy went to a Louis Vuitton store in Beverly Hills, where a white manager informed her that she was no longer welcome and would be detained if she stayed or returned.
Nonetheless, her helper, who is not black, received none of these abuses and completed the transaction without difficulty.
The lawsuit also claims that a white manager denied Brandi Williams service at a Chicago store in July 2023, falsely accusing her of using “drug money” to purchase her things.
When Brandi sent a non-Black friend to make the identical purchase with her gift card, the business called her, labeling the transaction “illegal,” and demanding that the products be returned.
Brandi received a similar experience at a New Orleans store, where she was told she would be arrested if she did not leave. Tracy’s friend, Kristopher Enoch also experienced a similar incident at the Beverly Hills store in September 2022 when he sought to buy a jacket for Tracy.
Although a non-black customer declined the jacket, the store employees told Kristopher it was “not available,” without any further explanation as to why that was the case.
The lawsuit claims all three plaintiffs received identical emails banning them from the luxury brand’s stores, and despite Tracy’s efforts to resolve the issue, she was directed to Louis Vuitton’s legal department and has not received a response.
The suit also references Oprah Winfrey’s 2015 experience of racial discrimination at a Louis Vuitton store in Italy, where she was denied the opportunity to purchase a hand bag.
The plaintiffs are now seeking a jury trial, and are claiming racial discrimination under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, business discrimination, tortious breach of contract, and theft after facing this inhumane situation.