It seems as if African-Americans have to shop with their attorney's number and a bank statement in their back pockets whenever they feel the urge to walk into a high-end designer store. Going out and treating yourself, spending your hard earned money might end with you pressed up against the wall in a subway station like Kayla Phillips or locked in a detaining room for questioning like Trayon Christian.
Oprah claims that a visit to a high-end store in Switzerland resulted in her walking out the door empty handed due to discrimination. When the billionaire requested a $38,000 top-shelf designer bag, the store's clerk denied her. A few years ago Oprah was also denied entry to a Hermes store, although after she went around the corner and called the outlet, she was told the store is open for business. While Oprah chose to share her stories with a sense of humor, locals like Trayon Christian and Kayla Philips who also experienced discrimination in similar stores, chose to speak out and fight back.
Trayon Christian, 19, was apprehended by plainclothes officers after a Barneys store clerk had suspicions about his $349 purchase of a Ferragamo belt. After Christian purchased the belt at the Barneys using an authentic debit card he was stopped and accused of using a false card to make a payment. Barneys initially insisted that they had reason to believe the card was unauthentic, but since have recanted their statement in light of evidence that Christian did nothing wrong.
While it's clear that some of these high-end designer stores have discrimination issues with their African-American shoppers, we cannot ignore where the suspicion stems from. Petty theft, the use of fake and stolen giftcards, “gifties”, counterfeit money and the use of stolen credit and debit cards, are at an all time high. The stores targeted the most are designer stores such as Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and even Macy's. This is all a part of the new “scammers” epidemic. Young men and women are using scams to purchase high-end designer merchandise, and now regular shoppers like Trayon and Kayla cant shop without being stopped. Stores have been keeping a close eye on their minority shoppers in wake of this new epidemic.
Some are arguing it's not about race, it's about class. This supports the new belief of some, that society is no longer racist but it is classist. Celebrities like Jay-Z have come under fire because of his partnership with the Barneys company. Some say the rapper should sever all ties with the company because he should be able to relate and because he is African-American. Some internet users say he is too far gone and wont do it because his money puts him in the same economic class as the Barneys corporation. Evidently Jay-Z released a statement saying he doesn't understand why he is “being demonized” and the partnership with Barneys will “help individuals facing socio-economic hardships.” Hmmmm sounds like the money is controlling the operation here and not ethics. To be clear, the rapper hasn't done anything wrong but his fans are counting on him to be an example. Jay-Z can partner with any corporation he wants but Barneys isn't the only one out there. He might want to reconsider partnering with a company that African-Americans shop at regularly and not one that routinely stops us for shopping there.
So what do we do? There are several options. We can choose to stop shopping in these stores. We can continue to shop in these stores with a heightened awareness that we're probably being watched. We can lobby for new store policies that eliminate racial discrimination as a means to keep track of theft. We can stop using fraudulent means to purchase merchandise.
Oprah claims that a visit to a high-end store in Switzerland resulted in her walking out the door empty handed due to discrimination. When the billionaire requested a $38,000 top-shelf designer bag, the store's clerk denied her. A few years ago Oprah was also denied entry to a Hermes store, although after she went around the corner and called the outlet, she was told the store is open for business. While Oprah chose to share her stories with a sense of humor, locals like Trayon Christian and Kayla Philips who also experienced discrimination in similar stores, chose to speak out and fight back.
Trayon Christian, 19, was apprehended by plainclothes officers after a Barneys store clerk had suspicions about his $349 purchase of a Ferragamo belt. After Christian purchased the belt at the Barneys using an authentic debit card he was stopped and accused of using a false card to make a payment. Barneys initially insisted that they had reason to believe the card was unauthentic, but since have recanted their statement in light of evidence that Christian did nothing wrong.
While it's clear that some of these high-end designer stores have discrimination issues with their African-American shoppers, we cannot ignore where the suspicion stems from. Petty theft, the use of fake and stolen giftcards, “gifties”, counterfeit money and the use of stolen credit and debit cards, are at an all time high. The stores targeted the most are designer stores such as Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and even Macy's. This is all a part of the new “scammers” epidemic. Young men and women are using scams to purchase high-end designer merchandise, and now regular shoppers like Trayon and Kayla cant shop without being stopped. Stores have been keeping a close eye on their minority shoppers in wake of this new epidemic.
Some are arguing it's not about race, it's about class. This supports the new belief of some, that society is no longer racist but it is classist. Celebrities like Jay-Z have come under fire because of his partnership with the Barneys company. Some say the rapper should sever all ties with the company because he should be able to relate and because he is African-American. Some internet users say he is too far gone and wont do it because his money puts him in the same economic class as the Barneys corporation. Evidently Jay-Z released a statement saying he doesn't understand why he is “being demonized” and the partnership with Barneys will “help individuals facing socio-economic hardships.” Hmmmm sounds like the money is controlling the operation here and not ethics. To be clear, the rapper hasn't done anything wrong but his fans are counting on him to be an example. Jay-Z can partner with any corporation he wants but Barneys isn't the only one out there. He might want to reconsider partnering with a company that African-Americans shop at regularly and not one that routinely stops us for shopping there.
So what do we do? There are several options. We can choose to stop shopping in these stores. We can continue to shop in these stores with a heightened awareness that we're probably being watched. We can lobby for new store policies that eliminate racial discrimination as a means to keep track of theft. We can stop using fraudulent means to purchase merchandise.