Three Black friends who spend $500,000 annually at Louis Vuitton are suing the luxury brand, alleging racial discrimination after being 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 banned them from shopping at its stores, and even going further to threaten them with arrest, according to a Daily Mail report.
The plaintiffs are accusing Louis Vuitton of targeting them because of their race, and believe no one should be treated in this fashion for “shopping while Black.”
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Tracy, who is a “VIP” customer pre-ordered $50,000 worth of items from the Louis Vuitton store in Costa Mesa, California, in September 2022, but was shocked to only receive an email from the brand insisting it would no longer conduct any further transactions with her. This raised questions in her mind, which she then sought to find answers to.
The email from Louis Vuitton read: “Dear Mrs. Tracy Williams: It has come to our attention that Louis Vuitton has been unable to satisfy your needs. Please be advised that Louis Vuitton is no longer prepared to do business with you. Please do not make further attempts to contact the stores.”
Following this appauling email, Tracy visited a Louis Vuitton store in Beverly Hills, where a white manager informed her she was no longer welcome and would be detained if she stayed or returned.
Nonetheless, her assistant who is not black, faced none of these treatments and successfully completed the transaction without hesitation.
The lawsuit also alleges that Brandi Williams was denied service at a Chicago store in July 2023 by a white manager, who falsely accused her of using “drug money” in purchasing her items.
When Brandi sent a non-Black friend to make the same purchase using her gift card, the store then contacted her and deemed the transaction “illegal,” and demanded that the items bought be returned.
Brandi faced similar treatment at a New Orleans store, where she was told she would be arrested if she did not leave the premises. 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.
