Former Versace Employee Files Lawsuit Against Company For Using ‘Code Words’ For Black Customers

Anyone whose walked into a high end fashion store without tight pants, a well-fitting sports coat, and a trendy haircut knows that the employees pay about as much attention to you as a red-headed step child with braces. But to think that these douchey stores have systematic protocols for people based on their skin color is so backwards and shameful, I have vowed to never shop there again. *Note: I have never shopped there. More of a TJ Maxx/Marshall’s guy myself.

A former employee of Versace’s San Francisco store is suing the company after claiming it imposed some racist mechanisms for black customers.

Via Metro,

Christopher Sampino, a former worker at a Bay Area Versace store, has filed a lawsuit alleging that managers of the shop encourage staff to use a code word, ‘D410’, in a ‘casual manner’ to let other workers know that a black customer had entered the store.

‘D410’ is the colour code for black clothing.

Christopher claims that when he was taught about the code word, a manager advised him to ‘hold a black shirt’ when using the code so that customers didn’t know what he was referring to.

Sampino claims he shocked his manager by responding with, ‘You know that I’m African-American?’ Christopher says that after he made that comment, he was treated differently. Versace reportedly refused to give him rest breaks, and fired him after just 2 weeks. In the suit, he says he was told he was canned because he hadn’t “lived the luxury life.”

Christopher is now suing Versace for an unspecified amount in unpaid wages and damages, whereas Versace has denied the allegations and has filed for the lawsuit to be dismissed, according to TMZ.

[h/t Metro]

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Matt’s love of writing was born during a sixth grade assembly when it was announced that his essay titled “Why Drugs Are Bad” had taken first prize in D.A.R.E.’s grade-wide contest. The anti-drug people gave him a $50 savings bond for his brave contribution to crime-fighting, and upon the bond’s maturity 10 years later, he used it to buy his very first bag of marijuana.